


Thirteenth

by Ambivalenthia



Series: Cursed or Something [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brother-Sister Relationships, Dark Leia Organa, Family, Father-Daughter Relationship, Father-Son Relationship, Force-Sensitive Leia Organa, Gen, Imperial Leia, Minor Character Death, Skywalker Family Drama, Skywalker Family Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-23
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2020-10-26 18:17:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 43,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20746616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ambivalenthia/pseuds/Ambivalenthia
Summary: After a certain unfortunate incident involving Moff Tarkin, thirteen-year-old Leia Organa gets summoned to attend court on Coruscant.  If she can just avoid Palpatine and Darth Vader, everything will be fine.





	1. Arrival

Leia sat gazing out the transparasteel window, the Coruscant cityscape stretching to the horizon below her.The five towers of the Imperial Palace were the highest buildings on the planet by design. The air traffic of shuttles and speeders was restricted, leaving the palace airspace clear, shining pink and gold as the sun set. 

She felt the weight of jet-lag on her, but she would fight it a while longer.It was already past midnight in Aldera. She would have to sleep soon, her body demanded it.She wondered if her parents, Queen Breha and Viceroy Bail Organa had gone to sleep yet.Just this morning they had been together, in Aldera, a family.Now she was here, in Imperial City, alone, exhausted, and more than a little bit scared.

It wasn’t really her fault, not completely.She had provoked Moff Tarkin, and as her father had later explained, he was a proud, powerful, and vengeful man.She had _humiliated_ him, and in return he had whispered something in the Emperor’s ear, and now she was here, being punished for her childish crime. 

She had been escorted, not arrested, from Alderaan, by a number of Stormtroopers and one Imperial Agent, who had presented an invitation, not a warrant.That was how the adults spoke to each other, and to her, not meaning what they said, iron fists clothed in silken gloves.

So here she was, the Emperor’s _guest_, resting in her _suite_, exhaustion slowly dragging her towards unconsciousness, but not yet willing to fall asleep, for fear of what tomorrow might hold. She forced herself to get to her feet and strip off her travel clothes.She let her tunic and trousers, Alderaanian white, fall to the floor.She had other clothes for tomorrow, and the next day, and for as long as she was kept here at the Emperor’s court.

She lay down on the covers of the massive bed, the sunset light falling on her, reminding her it was still too early to sleep.She musn’t. 

***

Leia awoke far too early, it was still night time, though her room wasn’t particularly dark, the bright lights of the city reaching her. The trails of speeder lights and holographic signs cast a cold, anxious light that just barely illuminated the heavy furniture in her bedroom.

She rolled off the bed, she hadn’t even gotten under the covers, and slipped, barefoot, onto the heavily carpeted floor.She hadn’t unpacked, and she didn’t want to now.It must be day break on Alderaan, but it was still night here, and she really should try to sleep again, to get on local time.Imperial Standard Time.Imperial City and, indeed, the entire fleet ran according to the way the sun rose and set on Emperor Palpatine’s seat of power. 

She moved through the rooms of her suite.It was luxurious in a way that was even more ostentatious than the Royal Palace of Alderaan.The tables and divans were not just crafted in the finest woods, and covered with velvets and silks, but ornamented, with what might be real jewels and precious metals.In a corner she found a food replicator, which she ignored, in favor of pouring herself a glass of water, which she drank in great gulps.

It was strange to be all alone.As the Princess of Alderaan she wasn’t often left unsupervised or unguarded.Had she woken in the middle of the night at Aldera Palace, her nursemaid would have been up in an instant, comforting her, urging her to go back to sleep.She was thirteen, which was a bit too old to have a nursemaid, but the old woman had been with her for her whole life, and now, without her, Leia felt more alone than she had ever been.

She set down her glass on the polished tabletop, wandering across the carpet, reminding herself that thirteen was nearly fourteen, and hadn’t she planed to join the Apprentice Legislature next year?It was just a year early,and, she supposed, her presence here _was_ a diplomatic role, from a certain point of view.She had read about the ancient kingdoms of Alderaan, rival kings taking each other’s heirs as wards, to ensure harmony between their lands.Now she was the Emperor’s hostage, and it would be her father, the Senator of Alderaan, who would be forced into harmony with Palpatine’s will. 

Her parents had no love for the Empire, she knew that, but they were cooperative.They had resisted a large military presence on Alderaan with the claim that they were a pacifist planet and posed no risk.Still, the amount her father could do in the Senate was limited.This was the Galactic Empire, if there were new laws enacted or sentient rights removed, it was because the Emperor, Sheev Palpatine, preferred it. As she understood it, the Senate was an institution far older than the thirteen year-old empire, and its continued existence gave a sense of continuity, a venue for planetary representatives to petition the Emperor.But the Empire never gave what it didn’t want to give, that was what her father said privately.Publicly, however, the Senator of Alderaan was eager to discuss legislation which would be of benefit to all beings in the Empire.

Her timepiece was still set to Aldera time, where it was nine in the morning.The suite had no other time pieces, and she hadn’t been permitted to bring a datapad.But Imperial Standard time was five hours earlier, so it must be four in the morning here. 

Leia got back into bed, if she couldn’t sleep, she would at least rest. 

***

She must have slept again because the room was full of daylight and there was a chime sounding from the far corner of her rooms.A doorbell, she guessed.She pulled a sheet around herself, wishing she had though to unpack her dressing gown the night before.She palmed open the door.It was a female officer, who glanced at her wearing just a sheet, then stared strait forward, with absolutely no change of expression. 

When she spoke, it was in a Coruscanti accent, monotone, and ringing with Imperial professionalism and disinterest, “Your Royal Highness, your presence is expected at court in one standard hour, do you require assistance to dress?”

“Yes, assistance would be appreciated.” She replied.Always take the opportunity to get more information, draw people out in conversation if you could.Make a friend. Her father had been full of diplomatic advise like that.

The officer followed her into the suite, expression neutral. 

“Officer, how should I address you?” Leia asked as she pried open the latch on the valise that held her gowns for court.

“My name is Lieutenant Venn,” the woman replied smartly. 

“I’m Leia,” Leia offered in return, though the woman undoubtedly knew who she was.“I appreciate your help with this, I’d never be able to fasten the back on my own.”She had pulled a white gown from the valise which had a long zipper at the back, for the very reason that she had claimed to need assistance.

The officer turned away, to give her privacy, and she slipped the gown over her head.It was full length, and high collared.She was, after all, thirteen and low cut gowns were the province of women, not girls like herself.

“Okay.” She called to Venn, who came and fastened the zipper up her back.“Thanks.”

“Could I ask your assistance with one more task?” She asked, smoothing her hair our over her shoulders.

“Of course, Ma’am.” The officer replied.‘Ma’am’ she wasn’t used to being addressed like that.It made her feel old.

“This is embarrassing, but I don’t have experience with this sort of food replicator.” Leia lied, leading the woman to the device in question.The truth was she didn’t have experience with food replicators at all, she was used to eating natural food, cooked by chefs, brought to her by servants.

Venn showed her how to use the machine with perfect patience, as though it were normal for a thirteen year old girl to be baffled with such a ubiquitous household item.Leia replicated herself a meal bar and tore into it.It must be lunchtime in Aldera, she thought.

“Are you on duty here at the Palace everyday?” Leia asked the officer.

Venn nodded, “Yes, Ma’am.I have been brought in to assist with your security detail.”

“Oh how lovely,” Leia replied, at a loss for why she would need a security detail.“And what was your previous posting?”

“The ISD Devastator, Ma’am.”

Leia couldn’t help but stare at the woman, imagining her saluting Darth Vader himself.Everyone knew the Devastator was his personal ship.She had to stay away from Vader, her father had told her, that was absolutely essential. 

“How interesting.” Leia replied in a tone that shut down the conversation.She wished she was better at this, she couldn’t panic at every mention of matters peripherally related to Vader.

“What can you tell me about court?” She asked, sorting through her shoes until she found the appropriate pair for this gown.

“It is customary for the Emperor’s guests to greet His Majesty on arrival.Then, subsequently, as a princess of an Imperial world, you are expected to attend court regularly while it is in session.”

Leia shivered, she had to meet the Emperor today. She had known she would have to.Her father had advised her to keep silent, only speak if asked a question directly, and for pity’s sake don’t even think of dropping a water balloon on him, Leia.The last was a reference to the crime she had committed against Moff Tarkin, which had landed her in this whole mess. No, no more water balloons, she had assured her father.

They left her apartments.Venn led her down a hall lined with closed doors to a turbolift which quickly transported them down out of the West tower, into the main atrium of the palace. The Jedi had such exquisite taste, she thought, no wonder the Emperor had taken the old Jedi Temple for his palace.It was a stunning vast space of corridors and pillared archways, filled with sentients of various worlds, all well dressed and none of them interested in a teenager accompanied by an officer. 

That would take some getting used to, she thought.As Princess of Alderaan she got a lot of attention, everywhere she went.She was the heir to the throne, it was normal.Here though, she was anonymous, just a kid from off-world.She followed Venn through the atrium and into another turbolift, this one in the center of the atrium.They were going to the throne room, she thought, her heart speeding up.

Lights were set low and the windows in all directions were dimmed, as though to set the opulent chamber in a perpetual twilight.There were dozens of sentients in the outer throne room, all far more interested their own whispered conversations that in her arrival.She had never seen so many species and races in one place.It was a microcosm of the Empire as a whole, if a particularly rarified group who teetered at the very peak of power and privilege.

Venn only came with her so far, halting at the door to the audience chamber and saluting crisply forward.Leia peered into to chamber, it was even darker than the outer hall, but she could feel eyes watching her from within.She stepped over the threshold, blinking as her eyes adjusted.The Emperor was there, at the far end of the room, in the stark cut obsidian throne she had only ever seen in holos.He was conversing with a tall blue skinned Chagrian.Mas Amedda, Leia reminded herself, the Grand Vizierof the Empire.

Leia strode forward, curtsied, then continued her approach.By the time she knelt at the foot of the Emperor’s throne she could feel his gaze on her.She had been careful not to stare at him, his face mostly hidden beneath the cowl of the heavy robe he wore. He was human, her father had told her.His ravaged features were a result of an altercation with the Jedi just preceding the formation of his Empire.

“And who is this?” The Emperor asked his Vizier, his voice a dry whisper which set chills up Leia’s spine.

“Your Majesty, this is Leia Organa, the Princess of Alderaan, she has come to attend court.”

Leia felt an overwhelming urge to look up at the Emperor, and gave into it.She met the old man’s yellow eyes and flinched, then forced herself to to meet his gaze.

“Your Majesty.” She murmured, then looked away, feeling strangely light headed.

“Ah, the Organa girl.” The Emperor said softly, “Welcome, child, your father has been a colleague and friend of mine for many, many years.” 

“It is my honor to be here, your Majesty.” Leia replied, it was what courtiers said to her mother, the Queen.

The Emperor smiled, revealing broken teeth.“Yes, I’m sure.”He stared at her unblinking for an unsettlingly long time. “But you are so young to be at court and alone.”

The emperor’s gaze went distant, and Leia felt a spark of cold, then it was gone and he was staring at her again.“Ah, my Hand.”A slight, black clad girl with tightly braided red hair had arrived silently and was kneeling at Leia’s side.“Jade, I hope you will assist the Princess Leia Organa in the process of acclimating to court.”

“Yes, my Master.” The girl replied, her voice crisp and clear. She looked at Leia, her expression neutral, “Ma’am.” Her eyes were a vibrant green but her skin was so white, Leia wondered if she ever went outside.

Jade led her from the Emperor’s presence, carefully back-stepping until they were back in the outer hall.

Leia hesitantly smiled at the other girl, who gazed back at her impassively.“C’mon.” Jade whispered grabbing her hand and pulling her into the crowd of sentients.

Jade led her to a bench next to a tapestry covered wall and they sat down together.Leia let out a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding.Jade raised an eyebrow.

Leia forced herself to smile, she suddenly felt so tired.“Your name is Miss Jade?” She clarified gently.

Jade finally smiled, “Mara, Ma’am.”

Leia smiled, she hadn’t been sure the serious girl was open to making friends.“Please just call me Leia.”

Mara nodded, “How old are you?” 

“I turned thirteen just after Empire day.” Leia told the girl.

“I’m twelve.I guess I’m still the youngest at court.”

“How long have you been here at the Palace, Mara?”

Mara frowned slightly.“I’ve always been here.”

“Are your parents courtiers?”

Mara shrugged, “I never knew them.I’ve been here serving the Emperor my whole life.”

Leia smiled politely, she had to ask, “Why do you call him Master?”

Mara’s cheek twitched as though she were fighting back a smile, “Because he is training me personally.”

Leia did not have a chance to ask what the Emperor was teaching Mara.Lieutenant Venn had found them, and looked extremely relieved. Her gaze skittered over Mara and rested firmly on Leia.

“Your Highness, would you like to return to your chambers?” The officer asked.

Leia nodded, “Mara, do you—?”

Mara rose to her feet, forthright in a way that surprised her, “Of course.The Emperor has assigned me to assist you. Would you like to show me where your apartments are?”

Leia set off with Mara and Venn, feeling a little less lonely than she had the day before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minor edits made on Jan 25, 2020.
> 
> The original incident with Moff Tarkin is described in The Princess Leia Diaries comic written by Jason Hall, and in Star Wars Tales 16: The Other, by the same author.


	2. Training

“My master says you should come with me today.” Mara informed her when Leia found the girl at her door the next morning.

Leia waved Mara in and went back to her breakfast, glad for some company. “Do you want anything to eat?”

Mara replicated herself something which looked like grey mush, but which she appeared to enjoy eating. “Do you have, um, clothes that aren’t gowns?”

Leia grinned, “Some. I take it we aren’t going to court?”

Mara shook her head, “My master says you are too young to attend everyday, that you should come join me in training.”

“You didn’t tell me what your training is.” Leia pointed out.

Mara smiled, “Oh a few different things. Languages, mathematics, combat.”

Leia raised an eyebrow at the last.

Mara shrugged, “Hand to hand, blaster, fencing.”

“Cool.” Leia remarked, “I’ve learned some archery and riding. I was supposed to learn to shoot a blaster this year, but then I got sent here.”

Mara helped her pick out a plain outfit, thankfully not the official Alderaanian white of her gowns, but a sedate green pants and top. She admired Mara’s full black body suit. She looked exceptionally strong and capable, for being all of twelve years old.

“So you learn combat from the Emperor?” Leia clarified.

Mara giggled, “No, he teaches me other stuff. Today it's fencing with Lord Vader.”

Leia froze, “I didn’t realize he was on Coruscant, he wasn’t at court yesterday, was he?”

Mara shook her head, “Lord Vader hates court. I think he hates me too, but he is actually a really good teacher.”

Leia heart was racing.

Mara smiled sympathetically, seeing Leia’s expression. “He _is_ scary, but you can just watch what he teaches me, then I’ll teach you the basics with practice sabers.”

Mara led her to a practice hall deep below the palace. It was a great high ceilinged space cut from the stone itself. There were no windows, and no furniture. Just a wall of weapons, some exercise and weight lifting equipment, and what looked to be some sort of droids powered down in a line on the far wall.

Mara showed her how to stretch and warm up. Then Darth Vader arrived. Leia instinctively backed up against wall, as if she could hide from his helmeted gaze.

Vader pointed at Leia, but addressed Mara, “Jade, who is this child?”

Mara sketched a shallow bow, “Lord Vader, this is the Princess Leia Organa. She’s come from Alderaan to attend court. Our master said she could train with me. She’ll just observe our lesson, if you permit it.”

Vader’s helmet tilted to a side as though considering what she had said. “Bail Organa’s daughter?”

Leia forced herself to let go of the wall behind her and bowed to Lord Vader, “Yes, Lord Vader.”

Vader turned back to Mara, “Be it on your head if she gets injured.”

Mara inclined her head, and grinned at Leia, “Just don’t get in the way of anything pointy.”

Leia flattened herself back against the wall, but still flinched when Mara drew out a violet lightsaber and Vader one of crimson red. Then they began to duel.

Vader beckoned Mara forward with a gesture of his gloved hand. She came in swinging her lightsaber in both hands, Vader meeting her sword with his own. Mara skipped away then came at Vader again, who seemed to take very little effort in blocking her. It was like a dance, Leia thought. The sound of sound of lightsabers cutting through air was like nothing she’d ever heard before.

Occasionally, Vader would snap some instruction to Mara, who seemed used to taking his orders. “More speed.” He would shout. “Channel the force.” And then he did something which Leia’s mind couldn’t quite follow. He put one of his massive gloves toward Mara, palm toward her, and then suddenly the girl was flying back through the room at speed, finally skidding to a halt on her backside, looking flushed.

“You should have blocked that.” Vader commented, drawing down on Mara as she struggled to regain her feet.

Mara was in a crouch when Vader brought his saber to her throat. Leia couldn’t help it, she cried, “No!” Taking a step forward as if… what? Was she really going to be able to stop Darth Vader from doing anything he wanted to do?

Vader looked over his shoulder, his lightsaber switching off. He said nothing but stalked away from Mara. He didn’t leave the room, but Leia was worried she’d made him angry.

Mara ran at Vader, her saber high, and in an instant his was lit again, and met her blade with an electric sound. Then they were dueling again. Leia managed to keep quiet as Mara executed astounding leaps and twists to avoid Vader’s blade. Vader himself moved slowly, but gave the impression of great strength, like a predator in no hurry as it stalked its prey.

But the end of the lesson, Mara was panting, but she looked pleased. She bowed low to Vader, “Thank you, Lord Vader.”

Vader waved off her thanks dismissively, “I am here because our master commands it.”

Mara bowed again as Vader swept from the room. Leia felt she could relax now. Once he had left some of the warmth came back to the room.

Mara threw herself to the mats near Leia, grinning. “He wasn’t going to kill me, you know that right?”

“I panicked.” Leia admitted, a blush rising to her cheeks.

“I mean,” Mara went on, “Darth Vader would love to kill me, but our Master would never allow it.”

“So the Emperor is Vader’s master, too?”

Mara nodded, “Oh yeah. He’s very powerful. I’m lucky he’s willing to train me when he is on Imperial center.

“Why not use blasters?” Leia asked, she’d been impressed by what she saw, but couldn’t help but think a ranged weapon was far easier and safer than laser swords.

Mara stared at her, “That would be weird, to see a Sith Lord use a blaster.”

“What’s a Sith?” Leia asked, confused.

Mara cringed, “I’m not supposed to talk about it.”

Leia looked away, sorry she had made her new friend uncomfortable. “Did you say something about practice sabers? I want to try.”

Mara fetched two sabers which glowed pure white, and, she assured Leia, would not cut or burn like live blades. Leia was stunned when she took hold of the blade, its vibrations made her arms shake.

Mara showed her how to grip the hilt of her blade, then took a few gentle swings, impacting with Leia’s blade as she held it static.

Soon Leia’s arms were tired. They stopped playing with the practice sabers, and Mara, who apparently had limitless energy, moved on the exercise equipment while Leia watched.

“You don’t have much stamina, do you?” Mara commented lightly, “You need to get in shape.”

Leia blushed again, “I want to. My parents on Alderaan preferred I maintain sedate, safe activities. I’m their only child.”

“And the heir to the throne, right? Don’t royal families usually have more than one kid?” Mara asked curiously.

“My mother the queen can’t bear children. I was adopted into the house of Organa when I was a baby.”

“Do you know who your real parents were?”

Leia flinched at the question, “My parents are my real parents. But no, I don’t know who my biological parents were. And I don’t care.”

Mara smiled, “Then we have that in common.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Typos fixed Jan. 25, 2020.


	3. The Force

The next day Leia’s arms ached and she wasn’t sorry that Mara didn’t show up in the morning. Instead, it was Lieutenant Venn who found her after breakfast.

“You’re to have a holo terminal, for your studies. A crew is here to install it.”

Leia was pleased, not everyone in the Empire had Holonet access, but as a member of the Elder Houses she had grown up with access to the online access libraries and she had missed it these last few days. She would also be able to send messages to her parents.

Venn sat with her while two tech officers hooked the terminal into her room’s power relay.

“You’ve used one before?” Venn clarified when the crew had left.

Leia assured the officer that she had. “We have one in Aldera Palace. It’s dead useful for looking up technical terms, and the planetary databases are pretty good. Pre-Imperial history… well…” She shrugged.

“I must advice you to take care, Holonet activity in the palace is strictly monitored, Ma’am.”

Leia could understand that, it was monitored in Aldera, too. She had gotten in terrible trouble for running a search on poisons last year. It wasn’t that she wanted to _use_ a poison, she had tried to assure her apoplectic father, she just wanted to learn more about them.

“I want to look up something Mara Jade said yesterday.” She explained, sitting down at the terminal. “The Sith?”

Venn covered the space between them swiftly and pulled Leia’s hands from the terminal input panel. “Ma’am, that is not a good idea.”

Leia crossed her arms, annoyed, “Why not? Do you know what it means?”

Venn seemed to be counting to ten to calm herself. “Yes, Highness. It is a banned topic, just like the Jedi.”

“The Jedi?” Leia asked, astonished. Although her father had spoken of the Jedi with fond reminiscence, it was a topic she’d been forbidden to mention outside the safe space of her parent’s rooms. The old religion was banned under the Empire, and even mentioning it could bring the wrong kind of attention.

Venn nodded solemnly, “Please do take care, Ma’am. You’ve only just arrived and I’d hate for you to have to explain yourself to the ISB.”

“Yeah,” Leia breathed, thinking of the Imperial Security Bureau which she knew of only by reputation.

“But— Mara said that Lord Vader is a Sith Lord, how could that be?”

Venn looked hesitant, but apparently decided to satisfy Leia’s curiosity. “I’ve served with Lord Vader. He can do things an ordinary person would find impossible. I think that’s what it means.” Venn shivered at some memory.

“I saw him training with Mara yesterday, he just pushed her through the air without touching her.”

Venn nodded, “Things like that. The senior officers told me it is the Force.”

“The Force,” Leia repeated, wondering. “I guess that’s another term I’d get in trouble for searching on the Holonet?”

Venn coughed, “Yeah. I mean, yes, Ma’am. I don’t recommend it. “

Leia decided to just ask Mara Jade.

Her friend showed up later in the afternoon, at which time Venn excused herself.

“You have a thing, tonight.”

“A thing?” Leia repeated, amused.

Mara shrugged, “A state dinner. Fancy dress, boring conversation, good food.”

“Are you coming, too?”

Mara nodded, “I’m on duty, listening for my master. So I’ll be around.”

“Listening?”

Mara nodded, “It is one of the ways I serve my Master. I listen to people’s conversations and read their intentions.”

Leia did a double take at that, “How the kriff do you do that?”

“I’m force-sensitive.” Mara explained as though Leia was supposed to know what that meant.

“Okay, I have to ask, what is the Force?”

Mara laughed, “It’s everything. But most people can’t even feel it. That’s why the Emperor chose me, because I can feel it and use it.”

“Like Vader?”

Mara considered the question, “Someday, if I keep training, I hope I’ll be half as strong as he is.”

“What kind of stuff can you do?”

Mara grinned and reached out her hand, a piece of fruit came flying into her hand from where it had been set in a bowl on a table.

Leia couldn’t help but gasp, “That’s some trick!”

Mara seemed pleased, “I figured it was okay to show you, since you saw me training with Lord Vader yesterday. But I can’t do much when out in public. People aren’t to know I’m force-sensitive.”

Leia understood that much, “It seems like a touchy subject.”

Mara took a bite out of the fruit in her hand, “People don’t believe in the Force anymore. My master says that’s for the best.”

“I think it is amazing.” Leia breathed, “You’re like a Jedi!”

Mara’s face drained of color. “Never say that. I’m nothing like a Jedi.”

“Sorry.”

Mara sighed, “Okay, so you know the Jedi used the Force, but not everyone who uses the Force is a Jedi, okay?”

“Okay.” Leia agreed, filing this information away. “So you’re a Sith?”

Mara grimaced, “No. Just an acolyte. Kriff, I need to watch what I say around you. You don’t know anything.”

Leia was hurt by that, “That just keeps in me the dark. How about you tell me about the things I don’t understand so I don’t say the wrong thing in court.”

Mara calmed, then a wicked smiled flashed across her face, “If you ever called Vader a Jedi he would kill you instantly, princess or not.”

Leia swallowed, it was the second time Mara had hinted that Vader was a killer. “See? I might have said that. Now I know better.”

Mara smiled, “Fine. Vader and the Emperor are the Sith. There can only ever be two. I’m training in the dark side, but I’m not a real Sith.”

“The dark side,” Leia repeated, trying to figure out what that could mean.

Mara rolled her eyes, “The force is split into Dark and Light. Sith use the dark and Jedi use the light.”

Leia considered that, “Wait, the Emperor is a Sith, too?”

Mara laughed outright, “A really, really powerful one. He’s the master, Vader’s his apprentice.”

Leia wondered how she had gone thirteen years in the Empire without knowing that their Emperor had some sort of bizarre powers. The Force, she guessed, was why Bail Organa had told her to stay away from Vader. Did her father know that the Emperor had the Force, too?

***

Leia didn’t get to sit with Mara at the dinner. In fact, the person opposite her was easily the very last person she wanted to talk to, maybe even more than Vader or the Emperor himself. For some reason, Moff Wilhuff Tarkin had wanted Leia at his table, and she suspected it was so he could gloat.

“Ah, the Alderaanian heir.” He drawled, voice coldly amused as he exchanged glances with the other officers and courtiers at their table. At least, Leia told herself, the Emperor was far way on the other side of the room.

“Good evening Moff Tarkin.” Leia said softly, trying to behave as a princess should.

“I hope you are enjoying your time here on Imperial Center?” Tarkin prodded.

In fact, Leia was enjoying her time, but that wasn’t what Tarkin wanted to hear, she was sure. “Sir, I miss my family on Alderaan.”

Tarkin smirked, “By the time you see them again, perhaps you’ll be a properly trained Imperial citizen.”

Leia fought a flush of anger, “Yes, sir, as you say.”

Tarkin pointedly ignored her for the rest of the evening, trading conversation with the officers at their table, and leaving Leia to pick at her food. It was as good as Mara had said it would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minor typo management conducted on Jan. 25, 2020.


	4. Sensitive

“Hello Mother, Father. Everything is fine here on Imperial Center. I’ve met with the Emperor, and even made a friend! I think everything will be okay. I get to attend classes with my friend, and even though court is boring, I am doing my best to represent Alderaan with humility and grace.”

Leia switched off the holo recorder and sent the message off. She hadn’t been sure what else to say. She had remembered not to mention the Jedi, the Sith, or the Force. So far so good.

She’d been here a whole week, attended four court events, and gone with Jade to her galactic languages tutorial, maths, and, unexpectedly, a dancing lesson.

Today would be their second session with Lord Vader, and again, Leia felt nervous. Just don’t cry out this time, she told herself.

Mara had found Leia a black bodysuit to match her own and she loved it. She’d done her hair up like Mara’s, too. Was this what it felt like to have a twin?

As before, they warmed up in the training room before Lord Vader arrived. When he did, Leia made to back against the wall, out of the way, hopefully invisible and not at all distracting for the Sith Lord.

She bowed as Mara did, but her heart froze when Darth Vader beckoned her forward. “Organa.” Leia scampered forward and then stood hesitantly in front of Vader. He was so tall.

“Yes, Lord Vader?”

“I will spar with you first, then Jade.”

Leia felt her eyes bug out, which couldn’t have been a very flattering expression. Mara was passing her a practice blade, and Vader took one as well. That was good, she didn’t want to imagine what it would feel like to get cut up by his crimson blade.

Leia couldn’t help it, her blade shook in her hands, but she was determined to see this through. Surely, Darth Vader wouldn’t hurt her too badly?

He stood tall and silent, except for the rhythm of his ventilator and the buzz of the practice sabers.

“Attack.” He commanded.

Leia brought her blade to tap against his, shuddering at the jolt of contact.

Vader stepped back. Somehow Leia had the sense that he was amused. “Again.”

She attacked Vader again, with a little more vigor, hitting her blade into his. He did not waver or move his blade at all, he just held it there, so she could swipe at it.

“Now low.” He moved his blade to point at knee height. Leia brought her saber to meet it, unsure what to do with her feet.

“Good.” She was surprised to hear Vader say. “Feet wider apart. Try not to close your eyes when swinging the blade.” Leia was sure there was amusement hidden in the monotone of his voice.

“Again.” Leia came in slowly, trying not to blink. This time Vader pushed back slightly, through his saber, testing her balance.

“Acceptable.”

Leia felt elated. She had survived a lightsaber duel with Darth Vader!

Vader seemed to stare at her for a long time before he called Mara forth to duel with live blades.

“Use the Force to push me.” Vader scolded Mara. Leia watch Mara tighten her grip on the lightsaber, her expression very serious. Then she pushed her palm toward Vader and Leia could feel something, like a breeze of wind, as Mara pushed against Vader. He didn’t even take a step back.

“Better.” Vader commented. “Now shield.” Vader mirrored Mara’s gesture. Mara slid back across the mats but didn’t loose her footing. She grinned.

“Attack.” Mara swung low at Vader’s legs, then ducked under his blade as it came at her neck.

“Faster.”

Mara moved faster than Leia thought possible. Her feet were a blur, her blade a violet streak in the air.

Vader parried easily. Leia wondered if this were terribly boring for him, showing lightsaber moves to a couple of kids. He was clearly a thousand times more powerful than Mara, and Leia wasn’t even force sensitive. She sort of wished she was.

This time, once the sparring was done, Vader waved Leia over and the three of them knelt on the mats. This was meditation, Leia realized, Mara had mentioned it, but not really explained it.

“The point is to sense the Force.” Vader’s voice cut through her thoughts. “It is everywhere around you. It begs for your notice, and will gladly come at your call.”

Leia tried to imagine this. She felt calm and focused. She wished desperately that she could feel whatever it was Mara and Vader were feeling.  
Then a flood of energy passed over her and through her. It was not quite like an electric current, but it seemed nearly as dangerous. Leia maintained her posture, not sure what was happening. Everything around her seemed strangely awake, vibrant in a way it had not been before. Was this the Force?

“Well done.” Vader commented, though she wasn’t sure that was for herself or for Mara. When they got to their feet Mara was staring at Leia, looking like she desperately wanted to tell her something.

They both bowed to Vader, who left them with an admonishment to continue practicing.

Alone, Mara rounded on Leia, a wide smile on her face, “You felt it, right?”

Leia nodded, “I felt something.”

Mara looked delighted, “Oh Leia, why didn’t you tell me you are force sensitive too?”

Leia blinked, “Is that what I felt? It was like a wave, it lit everything up.”

Mara nodded, “It’s weird the first time. C’mon let’s see if you can levitate my comlink.”

They sat down on the mats and Mara slid the comlink from her wrist. “So, um, try to see it in the Force, sense its shape, and then push it with your mind.”

Leia closed her eyes and breathed, trying to remember what she had felt when meditating with Vader. Everything lit up. She could sense the shape of the comlink, not quite alive, but vibrant in her mind’s eye. She imagined giving it a push.

Mara gave a high pitched squeal of delight. Leia opened her eyes. The comlink had skittered across the mats and was now meters away. “You did it!”

Leia grinned, “Did I really?”

“Try it with your eyes open.” Mara suggested eagerly.

Leia tried. The comlink jumped in the air as if it had been kicked by an invisible foot. Leia felt her jaw drop. “I did that.”

Mara looked intensely pleased. “No wonder my master let you train with me, you’re a natural!”

Leia blushed.

Mara’s expression went strangely blank for a moment and Leia felt something like a shadow pass over them.

“We need to go up to the throne room, now.” Mara said.

“Is something wrong?” Leia asked nervously.

Mara shrugged, “Nah, but my master wants us there. When he calls, I come. And I guess now so do you.”

“I’m not dressed for court.”

Mara was on her feet, clearly eager for Leia follow her. “C’mon. We never, ever make him wait.”

The outer throne room was empty, which would have given Leia a chance to appreciate the ornate decorations which hung from arched ceiling to highly polished floor, except that Mara had her hand and was pulling her along too fast for any of that.

Then they were in the audience room, bowing, kneeling. Palpatine was there, on his throne as before. Vader stood off to the right, still as a statue.

Palpatine was looking straight at Leia and she felt naked, exposed. She wanted to look away but there was something about that sulfur gaze that held her frozen.

“Well, this _is_ a surprise, but a welcome one, indeed.”

Leia didn’t know what to say, what did Palpatine mean?

Palpatine reached down, his skeletal hand cupping her cheek. “Who would have thought Bail Organa would have a force sensitive daughter?”

Leia remained very still. His hand was like ice but she didn’t dare pull away. This was the Emperor.

“She’s adopted.” Mara volunteered. Leia couldn’t help it, she flinched out of Palpatine’s grasp and glared at Mara.

Palpatine chuckled, “Is that so? Tell me, Leia Organa, when were you born?”

Leia forced herself to meet the emperors gaze, “Two days after Empire Day, in year 1.”

“Ah, nearly as old as my Empire. And your biological parents?”

“I don’t know who they were.” Leia snapped, then hastily added, “Your Majesty.”

Palpatine’s smile was wide and hideous. “Very well, my child, I take it you were unaware you had the Force?”

Leia nodded, then forced herself to speak, “I didn’t know, your Majesty.”

Palpatine leaned back in his throne, considering her. “Lord Vader, I believe the records of this child’s adoption would prove quite informative. ”

“I will obtain them, Master.” Vader answer in a monotone.

“Good.” The Emperor peered down at Leia once again, “I suppose I must promote Moff Tarkin once again, after all he has brought me an incomparable treasure.”

Leia glanced at Mara, feeling scared and confused. Mara looked smugly happy.

“Don’t worry child. You are where you belong. But I must ask one favor of you.” Palpatine smiled at Leia.

“Yes, your Majesty?”

“Tell no one you are force sensitive, not even your parents on Alderaan. We will keep it a secret.

“Okay.” Leia agreed, she felt terribly tired all of a sudden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Typo correction Jan. 25, 2020


	5. Messages

Leia didn’t like it. It was the first time anyone had ever sent her flowers and it was from Moff Tarkin of all people. It was an exceptional bouquet, she had to admit that much, it probably cost the Moff a thousand credits. The flowers were from at least a dozen planets, some of the blossoms she’d only ever seen in holos.

But seriously? _Grand-Moff Tarkin sends his regards._ It didn’t make sense. Yes, she was here at the Imperial palace because of him. Because of a stupid prank. Now somehow, overnight, he was the highest ranking fleet officer answerable only to the Ruling Council? Because of her? She really didn’t like it.

She longed to send a holo message to her father, but what could she say? The Emperor had said it was a secret that she was Force sensitive. That she mustn’t tell her parents. She settled for rewatching the holo they had sent her yesterday.

The holo showed both of her parents, looking much as they had last time she had seen them, smiling at her fondly. Her mother spoke first, “Leia, I cannot express how glad we are that you are doing well on Coruscant. Please do be careful.” Then her father addressed the camera, “Leia, I am so proud of you, my daughter. I will see you soon, once the Senate session reopens.”

She had played it several times. She felt like her parents were looking right at her. She was glad her father would be on Imperial Center soon, she desperately wanted to see him. Maybe, just between them, she could tell him what had happened yesterday? He would be surprised, but surely he would be even prouder of her for having such a rare skill?

When Venn arrived for the day, she was not alone. There were troopers in the hall beyond the entrance. She gave Venn a questioning look.

“Nothing to be worried about, Highness, just security.” Venn said dismissively. “Oh look, what a lovely flower arrangement!”

Leia felt sparks of irritation, especially when Venn gasped at the inscription. “Grand-Moff Tarkin? Huh.”

Venn wasted no time inputing an inquiry at the Holonet station. “Newly appointed as the first Grand-Moff for services to the Emperor. How informative.” Her tone was very dry. She smiled at Leia, “You have friends in high places, Ma’am.”

Leia frowned. Wilhuff Tarkin was her arch enemy, not her friend. “I didn’t know there was a title higher than Moff.”

Venn smirked, “He’s the first one. I wonder what services to the Emperor means…”

Leia shut her mouth. Palpatine had said Tarkin had found him a treasure. Had he meant Leia? It certainly seemed like that at the time. As soon as Venn left her alone she was going to trash those flowers, no matter how rare they were.

Mara showed up a bit later, looking as flushed and excited as she had yesterday. “Get ready, we have a session with Lord Vader.”

“Again? We were with him yesterday.” Leia asked doubtfully.

“Yes. Please get ready, we don’t want to keep him waiting.”

Leia changed into her black outfit, matching Mara once again. But, before they left her rooms, she had an irresistible idea.

“I need to borrow your lightsaber.” She told her friend.

Mara gave her an uncertain look but handed over her unlit blade. “Try not to cut off any of your limbs, or mine.”

Leia lit the lightsaber and stabbed her enemy with relish. The flower arrangement sizzled and smoked and burned. Leia sighed in pleasure and returned the weapon to her friend. “Now we can go.”

Leia was probably fooling herself, but it felt like Darth Vader was looking at her differently now. His mask had no expression of course, and his tone betrayed nothing. It was just a feeling she had.

He sparred with Mara first, live blades clashing and sparking across the room. Then it was Leia’s turn.

But they didn’t spar. Instead he showed her the lightsaber katas. A series of movements to train her muscles for lightsaber combat. Mara followed along, clearly familiar with the forms. Leia could feel the force around them, it was like they were swimming in it. She imagined a lit saber in her hands, cutting through a real life Grand-Moff Tarkin. She felt herself smile. Maybe someday, now that she had the force, she would do the same thing to him as she had to his horrid bouquet.

“You must practice these forms every day, Leia.” Vader told her, “And meditate as I showed you yesterday. You must become strong in both body and mind.”

Leia bowed, “Yes, Lord Vader.”

Vader was watching her again. She shifted uneasily.

“I am... glad you are here.” He said slowly, then turned and strode from the practice hall.

Jade stared at her wide-eyed, “That was weird.”

Leia nodded, “He’s ‘glad’?” She had only met him a few times, but she didn’t think ‘glad’ ever described Darth Vader’s mood.

Jade shrugged, “Let’s lift weights so you can ‘become strong in both body and mind.’” She imitated Vader’s rigid diction.

Leia giggled. “Good idea.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I found some cringey typos and fixed them. Jan 25, 2020.


	6. Damage

The next court event was far more lavish than the previous one. Leia had to wear her traditional Alderaanian gown, an unrelenting white, which she hated. What if she spilled something on herself?

Mara Jade arrived, dressed in a crimson gown so dark as to be almost black. Her red hair out of its braids, in wild waves around her head. “Are you excited?” She asked.

Leia shrugged, “Should I be?”

“I thought you would be. Isn’t your father a senator?”

Leia felt joy jolt through her, “Is it the opening of the Senate session already?”

Mara nodded.

Leia could not believe she had already been here a whole month. The days passed so quickly with events and training. She would finally get to see her father tonight!

His most recent holo messages had been strained, as if there was so much he wanted to say, but couldn’t. He looked ashen, peering into the holo lens as if begging Leia to forgive him.

That made her worry. But there was nothing for it, she’d see him soon and then she’d find out what was going on.

“Lord Vader is actually here!” She nudged Mara as she saw the towering from of Vader, watching the milling crowds of senators and dignitaries.

“Yeah, I think the Emperor ordered him to attend. It’s a pretty important event.”

Vader had been teaching them lightsaber everyday for the last two weeks. He had not said he was ‘glad’ about anything, which was good, because that had been too bizarre. He stared at her sometimes, and her burgeoning sense in the Force told her he was filled with conflicting feelings. But he was at least acting for what passed as normal, for him.

“Please Mara, tell me I don’t have to sit with Tarkin tonight.”

Mara giggled, “You really hate him don’t you? Yeah, no, you get to sit with your father, and me, and um, Lord Vader.”

Leia couldn’t help but shiver. “Does he even eat?” She whispered.

Mara looked thoughtful, “I have no idea. Why don’t you ask him over dinner?”

Leia rolled her eyes, “Thanks for the tip, I’ll tell him it was your idea to ask.”

Mara grinned, “I will deny everything.”

They found their table, and her father was there, a smiled plastered on his face. He rose, his robes rustling around him. Then he was embracing her so tightly she could barely breath.

“I missed you, daddy.”

Bail Organa drew back, looking at her with moist eyes. “And I have missed you too, my dear girl. Are you alright?”

Leia sat down next to her father, leaning in to whisper to him, “I’m fine, daddy. Is everything okay at home?”

He nodded, the tense look was there in his eyes at it had been in the holo messages. “Everything is fine Leia, your mother and I… we didn’t know what to think. It is a tremendous relief to see you looking so happy.”

“I have so much to tell you.” Leia whispered, then glanced up, the familiar sound of Vader’s respirator. Vader sat down opposite them, gauntleted hands fixed on the table, watching.

“Good evening, Lord Vader.” She greeted her teacher and felt her father squeeze her hand tightly.

Vader inclined his mask. “Princess.” He looked at her father, “Viceroy.” How could Vader put so much anger into just one word? In the force he was so cold, his anger nearly brimming over. Externally, he sat stiffly, watching them, but saying nothing further.

The first course was served. No plate was placed in front of Vader, she was dying to say something to Mara about that, but this was not the time or the place. As it was, Mara kicked her very lightly under the table and she could see her friend smirking in her peripheral vision.

She turned back to her father, “Father, this is the friend I told you about, Mara Jade.”

Bail leaned in and looked at Mara kindly, “I’m glad my Leia has found such a good friend here at the Imperial Palace.” Mara glowed.

There was the sound of leather squeaking against leather. Vader shifted in his seat, his hands had curled into fists but still resting on the table in front of him. Leia felt sorry for him, forced to attend a meal he couldn’t eat.

Vader’s mask turned slightly to stare at her, but he said nothing.

Bail leaned in to speak directly into her ear. “I love you no matter what.”

Leia wanted to cry. She knew he loved her, but what was so wrong that he needed to say it like that, at a state dinner, in front of Lord Vader? She examined her father’s sense in the force. He was an absolute bundle of nerves. She hoped she’d get to speak with him privately after the dinner was over and find out what this was all about.

Then everyone was standing. The emperor had arrived and was taking his place at the head table, next to theirs. They all bowed and waited for Palpatine to take his seat. He remained standing however, clearly intending to make a speech.

The emperor’s voice was low and reedy but managed to project across the entire ball room. “My friends. It gives me great pleasure to greet you at the advent of another session of the Imperial Senate. Your voices are an essential part of this Empire.” There were brief applause.

“We have come far since the Clone Wars ended over thirteen years ago. We have brought peace to hundreds of divided worlds, and now their representatives are with us here today. We are an expanding Empire governed by a single infallible rule of law.

“Eat and drink, my dear friends. Your service and loyalty is what makes this Empire strong.”

There were applause and the Emperor seated himself, so everyone else could sit down too. Unless Leia was very much mistaken, Palpatine had been looking in her direction as he finished his speech.

Her father let out a pained sigh, but began eating his meal, as if it were his last. She really needed to find out what was wrong.

The meal progressed slowly, and awkwardly, both her father and Lord Vader were angry about something, though they gave no outward sign of it. Finally, the Emperor rose to leave, ending the meal. When they stood for his departure, Palpatine’s procession stopped in front of their table. The emperor gave Bail a long look but said nothing, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, just visible below his cowl. Then the procession moved onwards.

Her father held her hand tightly, and she squeezed it back, trying to radiate reassurance. Instead of following the crowd towards the exits, Bail sat back down heavily in his seat. Leia followed suit, was he ill?

He moved to hold both of her hands in his own, “You are the light of my life, Leia.”

“Enough.” Vader in a tone of deathly cold, he stood opposite them, radiating menace.

Bail tensed and so did Leia. She felt Mara grab her shoulder, telling her silently through the force to be strong.

Bail looked down at Leia, “Be good.” Then he did something that didn’t make any sense. He put his hands in the air. Then there were storm troopers all around them. Leia was being pulled away from her father. It was Mara, looking sad but resolute, dragging her away. Leia rounded on Vader.

“Is my father under arrest?” She couldn’t believe this was happening, she felt sick.

Vader stared at her, his mask tilted, considering, “Bail Organa is a traitor to the Empire. I must take him into custody.”

“What?” Leia gasped. Mara’s hand was like a vice on her wrist.

“You have to stay calm.” Mara hissed in her ear. “Don’t say anything.”

Leia clenched her jaw, aching to do something, but forcing herself to just stand there as Vader led the stormtroopers escorting her father out of the ballroom. Then she was alone with Mara. She wrenched her hand free of the other girl’s grip.

“Leia.” Mara whispered. “Let’s go back to your apartments.”

Leia let herself be led in the opposite direction as Vader had taken her father. Once they were out of the ballroom they were joined by Venn, and the six stormtroopers who seemed to trail her everywhere she went these days.

Back at her apartments, Venn bid her goodnight, and took up a station outside of the door to her suite. Did Venn do that every night, Leia wondered?

Inside, she ripped off her sweltering Alderaanian formal robes, tossing them into a pile on the floor. She pulled on a thin dressing gown, then she rounded on Mara.

“What just happened?” Leia felt angrier than she ever had before, she looked around for something to destroy. Her gaze settled on a spindled-legged end table which probably cost ten thousand credits. She lifted it in the Force and sent it smashing into a fancy mirror which adorned the opposite wall. The mirror shattered spraying glass across the floor. Leia sighed and sat down on the sofa. Venn and the Stormtroopers came rushing in, alert to some imagined danger. Leia smiled at Venn tightly, “Everything is fine. Just a little accident.” She poured every ounce of her will into the words.

Venn’s expression became placid. “Yes Ma’am. Shall I send a droid to clean up?”

“Later. I’m not done destroying things. Please leave.”

Venn spun about, leading the Stormtroopers out into the hallway.

Mara was staring at her, open mouthed. “That was awesome.”

Leia turned to face her friend, she was still angry but it was an icy sort of anger now, “Vader just arrested my father for treason.”

Mara nodded, “Yeah.”

“Did you know that was going to happen?” Leia bit out.

Mara’s eyes widened, “No, of course not. I sensed Vader was angry, of course, like really, really angry. I kind of thought Vader would attack him outright.”

Leia breathed out slowly, “They were both so angry, and my father was so sad. I think he knew it was going to happen. But why? Why did Lord Vader arrest my father?”

Mara shook her head, “I don’t know. He said he was a traitor to the Empire.”

Leia stood, lifted what looked to be a priceless art piece, and launched it across her sitting room, it hit the window with a dull thud. She hadn’t really expected the transparasteel to break. The statue shattered, however, which helped salve her anger just the tiniest bit.

No stormtroopers can barging into her room this time. Good.

“Will you stay here tonight?” She asked, desperate not to be alone.

Mara nodded, “Of course I will. Tomorrow we will figure it all out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minor edits, Jan 25. 2020.


	7. The Next Day

It was Mara who found the news report on the Holonet. Viceroy Bail Organa of Alderaan had been arrested for kidnapping, tampering with Imperial records, and treason.

“That’s impossible.” Leia yelled, but restrained herself from breaking any more of her possessions.

“Well, we have a scheduled session with Vader this morning,” Mara offered hesitantly. “Maybe he’ll tell us what’s going on.”

Leia clenched her jaw, nodding tightly. “He’d better.”

Vader was impassive when he found them in the practice hall. Leia was trying, very, very hard, to be civil. Even though Vader was the one who had arrested her father, she knew better than to mouth off to him.

“Lord Vader,” Leia asked carefully, “I am confused about last night’s events.”

Vader crossed his arms in front of his chest, staring down at her through his mask. “You are angry, as well you should be, Leia.”

Leia crossed her own arms trying to shore up her courage. “Please tell me what is going on, Lord Vader, I beg you.”

Vader inclined his helmet, “Bail Organa kidnapped you from Coruscant thirteen years ago. Last night he knew he had been found out. He surrendered and I took him into custody.”

Leia swallowed, “I was adopted, not kidnapped.”

A burst of anger radiated from Vader, “You were kidnapped. Your biological father thought you had died, but it was a kidnapping none the less.”

Leia frowned, “My biological parents are both dead. Aren’t they?”

Vader uncrossed his arms, looking down at her in silence only marked by the sounds of his breaths.

“No, Leia. I am your father.”

Leia heard Mara gasp from behind her. Leia turned her attention back to Vader, “You expect me to believe that?”

Vader crossed his arms again, “It is true. You were born Leia— Leia Skywalker. Bail Organa spirited you away and raised you as his own. If I had known you lived I never would have let you go, Leia.”

Leia felt the truth of Vader’s words through the force, he believed what he was saying.

“And what about my biological mother?” She demanded.

“She died.” Vader’s voice was hollow, abrupt. She sensed a great sadness from him, like a whirlpool descending into the blackest depths of the ocean.

Leia sat down on the mats, trying to think clearly. “What’s going to happen to my father?” She asked.

Vader’s anger spiked at the words, but he spoke to her with a fragile calm. “Your kidnapper will face the justice of the Empire.”

Leia looked up at the man who claimed to be her biological father. “I want to see him.”

Vader nodded, “I will permit it, but not today.”

Leia looked away, given the situation, Vader was being uncannily reasonable.

“Thank you, Lord Vader.” She whispered.

“Get to your feet, Leia.” Vader ordered. “Your anger makes you stronger in the Force. Get your weapon and we will spar.”

***

Leia was exhausted. She had put her whole heart into attacking Vader with the practice saber. He hadn’t budged of course, just made the slightest movements to block her attacks. Still, it had felt good to burn out her anger in combat.

She was alone in her rooms now. Well, not completely alone. Mara Jade was in the sitting room, reading a datapad, and giving Leia her space. She appreciated that.

Was Vader really her biological father? Was this all an elaborate ruse? She thought about what she had sensed from Bail Organa, at the dinner last night. Regret, sadness, hatred of Vader, love for her. So much love for her. She wanted to cry. Even if it was all true, Bail Organa was the only father she had ever known and she didn’t want to loose him.

Leia slept. It was still daytime when she awoke. She still felt tired. She wandered out into the sitting room. Mara was there, looking at her with sympathy.

“Do you think it’s true?” She asked as she sunk into a padded chair.

Mara gave her a helpless look, “I don’t know why Vader would say it if it wasn’t true.”

“He said my name is Skywalker.”

“Sounds Outer Rim.” Mara commented vaguely.

Leia closed her eyes, wishing this day were over.

They sat in silence for a long time. Mara read her datapad and Leia starred into space, she had no idea what would happen to her. None at all.

***

The next morning Mara was gone, and Leia was alone, until someone very unexpected showed up at her door.

She stared at Darth Vader then moved to let him in.

She followed him into her sitting room. He looked so tall in the modest space of her apartment, too big to be so close.

“Lord Vader, would you like to sit down?” She offered, because that was how you were supposed to treat guests.

Vader sat, awkwardly on a strait backed chair pulled in from the dining room. “Thank you for seeing me, Leia.” Vader rumbled, his voice almost gentle.

Leia sat down in the armchair, pulling her legs up to sit cross legged. “Are you really my biological father?”

“Yes.” Vader told her, “Can you not sense it in the force?”

Leia nodded, “I’m just— really surprised, I guess.”

“That.” Vader said, “Is understandable. A crime has been committed against both of us.”

Leia thought of her adoptive father, where was he now? What would happen to him? Had he known her biological father was alive when he adopted her?

“He knew.” Vader spat. Had he read her mind? Could he do that?

“What?” Leia gulped.

“Bail Organa knew what he was doing when he stole you away from me.”

Leia thought about that, “If I’m your daughter why did you say my name is Leia Skywalker, shouldn’t I be Leia Vader?” She cringed at the words, but the question was already out of her mouth so she stared at Vader expectantly.

“Long ago, I was called Anakin Skywalker. Your mother’s name was Padme Amidala Naberrie. Your full name at birth was Leia Amidala Skywalker.”

Leia could sense Vader’s sadness and anger like a mist surrounding them both. “What happens now?” She asked softly.

Vader tilted his mask. “You belong with me, here on Imperial Center.”

Leia bit her lip, unsure what to think, terrified of angering Vader.

Vader spoke again, his tone consolatory, “I will never hurt you, Leia. You need not fear me.”

Leia wasn’t sure she believed that. “Will you continue training me to use the Force?” She wasn’t sure why this mattered but she wanted something to hold on to, something to look forward to.

“Of course.” Vader replied. Her question had pleased him, she realized. Was he as uncertain about this whole situation as she was?

“Okay.” She told him, though she couldn’t quite say what she was agreeing to. To give him the benefit of the doubt, she supposed. She was confused, she felt like she was being pulled in a hundred directions. Be good, she told herself, in her mind repeating her adoptive father’s last words to her. Be good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Typos corrected Jan 25, 2020.


	8. Justice

There would be no trial, Leia was told, because her adoptive father had pleaded guilty. She would get to see him today, thank the stars, but she had no idea what to say. She loved him. She would tell him that. And that she wasn’t sorry he had kidnapped her, he was a perfect father. She wanted to cry. Why had he plead guilty? The penalty for treason was execution. How could he do this to her?

Leia wore white. She was still Alderaanian, at least in spirit. Venn and her team of stormtroopers were the ones to accompany her to the prison below the Imperial Senate. As prisons went, it wasn’t as awful as she had imagined. The halls were white plasteel, the same color as the stormtroopers armor.

Her father wore grey. They let her into his cell and she fell into his arms, sobs shaking her whole body.

Her father held her for a long time and she realized he was crying too. She had never seen him cry before.

“Leia, my precious daughter.” He soothed, stroking her hair and holding her close. His prison garb was rough against her cheek. “I had hoped this day would never come.”

“Why did you plead guilty, Father?”

Bail Organa kept stroking her hair, “Because I am guilty, Leia.”

“But treason?”

“Yes, even that.”

“I don’t understand.” Leia curled into his arms, wishing desperately that this were a nightmare so that she could wake up.

“Oh Leia, I know. I am so sorry you have to suffer this.”

“Is Vader really my biological father?”

“He is.” Her father told her softly. “I knew him and your mother quite well, before the Republic fell.”

Leia let a sigh out, it was true then. It was all true. “Why did you do it?”

Bail Organa hesitated, “To keep you safe.”

“From Vader.” It wasn’t a question. Leia understood.

Bail stroked her head and they sat there in silence until the stormtroopers came and made Leia leave.

She felt hollow as she gazed out the speeder window, ignoring Venn and the stormtroopers and trying very, very hard, not to cry.

Venn led her back to her chambers in silence and then left her alone. Leia curled in the window seat as she had on her first night here. The sun was low in the sky. It would set, and when the new day began, her father would be executed.

She was glad it would not be a public execution. It well could have been, she knew that, she had seen other senators executed for treason. It had been all over the Holonet, each time. The emperor, Vader, dignitaries, and a hooded prisoner, shot by a line of stormtroopers. There was usually a speech about loyalty and justice just after it, as if a sentient being hadn’t just been murdered before their eyes. Yes, she was glad that someone had spared her all of that.

This was her fault. The tears came again as she realized it. She cursed herself for ever drawing Wilhuff Tarkin’s ire. All her parents had ever wanted was to keep her safe, and far away from Vader and the emperor. She had ruined it. Why? She couldn’t even remember. She guessed she had been jealous of the attention bestowed on the Moff. She had thought it would be funny. It had been funny. But nothing was worth this. Tomorrow she would wear black.

***

The morning was clear, and the transparasteel of the window cold against her cheek. Light was just filtering in, pale blue, sunrise. Her father was dead.

Leia trudged to the fresher, turning on the water as hot as she could bear. It was her fault. Her father was dead because of her. Because she was incapable of behaving as a princess should. Was she even Princess of Alderaan now? She wondered. She hoped she was not. Hoped she never had to face her mother, the Queen. Her adoptive mother. Her kidnapper? Fear cut through her then, would Vader arrest her mother too?

She rushed to the Holonet node and typed her mother’s name into the search box with shaking hands.

_Queen Breha Organa to appoint new senator for Alderaan_. Leia wanted to scream. That single sentence hid more than it revealed. Her mother was alive, and her father was dead, and all the Holonet cared about is who would replace him. The galaxy was an evil place, a good man, a beloved man had died, but no one cared.

She typed her own name in next. Leia Organa. There was nothing. Some old news clip from Alderaan from before she had ruined everything.

She turned away from the terminal, and stalked back into her room. She pulled on her black training suit. It was the only black clothing she had. She was in mourning. This is what Alderaanians were supposed to do. She owed her father that much.

Leia scanned around the room, finally finding a fire starter next to some pillared candles she had never lit. She smiled and opened her wardrobe.

By the time the stormtroopers poured in and hustled her out of the apartment, she had a merry blaze going. No more Alderaanian white. She wasn’t worthy of it.

“Are you alright, Highness?” Someone was asking. Mara showed up soon after, standing with her shoulder to shoulder as they watched troopers and fire fighting droids march in and out of her quarters.

“Shall we go for a walk?” Mara suggested, as though Leia hadn’t just committed arson.

Leia nodded and followed her friend into the turbolift at the end of the hall.

“So…” Mara said slowly. “Where should we go?”

Leia shrugged, she didn’t care.

“The gardens, I think.” Mara decided and keyed something into the lift.

They sped up instead of down, emerging on the roof of the West tower. Leia had not known there was a garden here. She emerged into the sunlight and breathed the fresh air, laden with the scent of flowers. It was heart breakingly beautiful.

Mara threw herself down on a patch of grass, staring at the sky. “I’m sorry for your loss.” She told Leia mechanically, looking up at her.

Leia lay down next to her friend. “Thanks.”

Some TIE fighters flew by overhead.

“Well, that’s weird,” said Mara.

A few moments later, Mara spoke again. “Oh kriff.”

The turbolift doors opened and the menacing form of Darth Vader stepped out, Lieutenant Venn at his heels. He crossed his arms, looking down at them both. It was strange, how the sunlight bounced off his armor. Leia knew now was absolutely the wrong time to laugh. What was wrong with her?

“Daughter.” Vader rumbled. “Why did you evade your security detail?”

Leia sat up, “Oh.” So that’s what all the fuss was about. “I—”

Mara spoke over her, “I wanted her to have some fresh air, Lord Vader. Because of all the smoke.”

Vader crossed his arms, looking between them. “Daughter.” He enunciated once again. “Why did you set fire to your chambers?”

For some reason she could quite explain, Leia found this question intensely funny. She giggled. Then Mara giggled, too. Soon they were both laughing on the grass, gasping for air. Why was it so funny?

She regained control of herself only slowly. “I, um… was cold?”

Mara burst into another fit of giggles and then Leia was laughing again, too.

“You are both hysterical.” Vader commented, his tone unamused. “Come, back inside.”

Leia wiped at the tears of mirth in her eyes and got back to her feet.

Things were tense as they four of them rode down in the turbolift. They didn’t stop at Leia’s floor.

“Where are we going?” She asked.

“My residence.” Vader answered curtly.

“Why?” Leia persisted.

“Because your current chambers have been destroyed.”

“So I have to stay with you?” Leia bit her tongue, that had sounded like she didn’t want to. Which was true, but still.

“Yes.” Vader answered, his sense in the force shielded. Had she upset him?

“Can Mara Jade come?” She asked eagerly, vaguely aware that this manic happiness wasn’t the right way to be feeling right now.

“Your friend may visit you as often as you would like. My residence is connected to the Imperial Palace by tunnels.” Vader explained, as the turbolift bottomed out far below the level of the atrium, lower, she thought, even than their training room.

Tunnels stretched out before them. Vader pointed at Venn, who seemed to tremble under his attention. “You are relieved of duty, Lieutenant.”

The officer looked like she had been expecting as much. She saluted Vader crisply. Mara also hung back as Vader led Leia into one of the tunnels. ‘Later’ she mouthed when Leia looked back.

Leia squinted. How could Vader see in this pitch darkness?

“Use the force, Leia.” Came the instruction from just ahead of her. Leia reached out in the force, she could sense the walls of the tunnel and her father standing ahead of her, looking at her steadily.

“I am sorry I set my room on fire.” She offered as they set off down the tunnel.

Vader’s vocoder emitted a sound like a cough. Was he laughing? “Do not apologize, Daughter, possessions do not matter.”

Leia blinked in the dark, Vader was so strange.

“Although, I would caution you against lighting any fires in my residence, for your own safety.”

“Okay.” She replied, had that been a threat or a genuine warning? She reached out in the force, her father was amused.

“How long am I staying with you?” She asked. Glad for the darkness.

“Until your new suite is ready, Leia.” Vader informed her. They started going up a set of rough hewn stairs, then there was a turbolift. The light stung her eyes after the darkness of the tunnel.

“Thank you.” She said, looking up at Vader.

“Leia, you are my daughter.” Vader rumbled, “I will give you the entire Empire.”


	9. Aftermath

“I want to go to my father’s funeral.” Leia told Vader the next day.

“You’ll make a fine Sith.” Vader shot back.

Leia glared at the man, “I want to go to Bail Organa’s funeral.”

“That would be inappropriate.” Vader snapped, the levity gone from his sense in the force.

“Because you want the galaxy to think he kidnapped me?”

Vader tilted his helmet, considering her. “He _did_ kidnap you, Leia. That you… loved him is only proof of the efficacy of his deception.”

Leia couldn’t quite understand what Vader meant, but she knew the answer was ‘no’. Was this how it was going to be? Was she to be stuck in Vader’s spartan residence, instead of the the Imperial Palace? Was this her life now?

“You may holo call with Queen Organa if you wish. I will arrange it.” Vader offered up, if he was reading her mind or just guessing what would appease Leia, she couldn’t guess.

Her mother, she thought, guilt welling up. What would she say? Was there anything she could say to salve the wound she had created? But she had to try. Even if her mother didn’t love her any more, Leia still loved her mother.

  
“Yes, thank you Lord Vader.” She replied softly.

She’d never Holo called with anyone in real time. It took bandwidth strictly reserved for the Imperial military. She couldn’t help it, as soon as Breha Organa’s image came to life before her, blue and ghostly, she started to cry.

“Leia, are you alright?” Breha Organa asked, her expression a mixture of love and grief.

Leia wiped at her tears, “I’m fine. Mother, I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault.”

Her mother shook her head in a dainty, restrained movement. “Leia, none of this is your fault. We knew it was headed this way from the moment the call came in for your adoption papers. I can only beg you not think ill of us for keeping it a secret.”

Leia exhaled through her nose. Her father had known that his deception had been uncovered, but he had come to Coruscant anyway.

“I can’t come to the funeral.” Leia blurted out, another wave of tears threatening to follow the last.

“I know, my sweet girl. Just try to stay safe. My thoughts are always with you.”

Leia stared at the inactive holo terminal for a long time after bidding her mother farewell. Why hadn’t her father run away, to some place in the Outer Rim where no one knew he was the Viceroy of Alderaan? He didn’t have to come here and surrender and die.

Leia rose to her feet and returned to the room Vader had given her. It looked to have been hastily fitted out with a bed and wardrobe, but retained a distinctly utilitarian feel. Possessions do not matter. She reminded herself. She hoped that was true, as she had probably destroyed everything she had brought with her from Alderaan. Why had she done that?

Yesterday’s manic happiness had bled away leaving her exhausted the night before. Vader had shown her to this room and let her be. Were they alike in that way, preferring to brood alone? She knew that Vader carried with him a great weight of sadness, wrapped in anger, guarded by fear. It scared her. How could so much be contained beneath such an emotionless shell? He was pleased though, she knew, that he had found her.

“We must attend court today.” Vader informed her later.

“I thought you hated court.” Leia answered back, then wondered if it was the wrong thing to say.

Vader coughed. “All the same, Daughter, today we must go. Lieutenant Venn is arriving now with suitable attire for you.”

Leia fleetingly imagined this meant a small set of black metal armor like Vader’s own, but dismissed the idea. Sure enough, when Venn arrived, it was with plain black clothes. Loose and hooded, like the Emperor himself wore.

Leia shrugged the robes on. There was no mirror in her room, or anywhere in the parts of the residence she had seen so far. She found soft leather boots at the bottom of the box Venn had brought, and pulled them on. She braided her hair as tightly as if she were going to sparring practice with Jade. Her braid fell long down her back. When she emerged Vader was waiting, she could tell he approved of her appearance, whatever that was worth.

When she walked through the outer throne room at Vader’s heels, everyone was silent and all eyes were on her. She wanted to search out Mara but she suspected her friend would find her.

The inner throne room was empty save for Palpatine. It was strange to bow and kneel at Vader’s side. The Emperor looked pleased by the spectacle.

“Leia.” He rasped, smiling down at her in a way made menacing by the broken teeth revealed under his thin lips.

“My Emperor.” Leia acknowledged.

“My apprentice tells me you have accepted the truth, that he is your father.” Palpatine pronounced.

“Yes, Majesty.” Leia replied, wanting to squirm under the Emperor’s gaze.

“I suspected it from the moment I first saw you, my dear, you shine as brightly as he did when he was your age.”

Leia glanced to Vader. He’d known Palpatine when he was thirteen?

“Oh yes.” The emperor answered her thought as if she had spoken it aloud. “I have known your father nearly his entire life. I knew your mother as well.”

Leia swallowed a gasp.

“Padme Amidala. Naboo’s most beloved queen. Ah, but Lord Vader cannot bear to even think of her.”

Leia felt Vader’s sadness and irritation ringing out through the force.

“Rest assured child, you belong here with Lord Vader and myself. I trust you will serve me just as your parents have?”

Leia nodded, then spoke the words, “Yes, Majesty, of course.”

“Good.” Palpatine was pleased and so was Vader. “Go find Jade in the attendant’s hall. I wish to speak with your father.”

Leia bowed, back stepped and left. She was glad to get out of the cloying atmosphere of the throne room, even though a hundred eyes turned to watch as she emerged into the twilight of what Palpatine had called the attendant’s hall.

Then Mara was there next to her, hugging her, leading her by the hand, out on to a balcony. They were so high up in the air, it made Leia’s head spin but she relished the feel of the wind on her face.

“Are you okay?” Mara asked her gently as they stared out at the Coruscant cityscape.

“Yeah.” Leia told her friend, and it was more or less true. She knew she wasn’t finished feeling sad about what had happened, but right now she just felt blank.

“Did you get punished for, um, setting the Palace on fire?” Mara asked, humor in her voice.

Leia shook her head. “No, Vader wasn’t even upset.”

Mara snorted. “Well you did a good job on it. That whole floor has to be scrapped and redone.”

Leia thought about that, “So all my stuff is gone?”

“Isn’t that what you wanted?” Mara pressed.

“Yeah. All I have is the black outfit you gave me and this.”

“Do you even know what you are wearing?” Mara asked, an edge to her voice.

Leia shook her head.

“They are Sith apprentice robes. Your father must really want to keep you.”

Leia frowned at this, “I hope so. It isn’t like I have anywhere else to go.”

Mara relaxed and gave her a reassuring smile, “This is the center of the galaxy, who would want to be anywhere else?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fixed a typo 25-01-2020


	10. Meeting

Even though Leia’s life had been completely turned upside down, her schedule stayed pretty much the same. She still attended classes with Mara Jade. Vader taught them lightsaber technique on alternating days. As the days wore on, her grief and guilt bled away, eventually the death of her adoptive father wasn’t the first thing she thought of when she woke up in the morning.

She was still at Vader’s residence a month later, and she didn’t really mind. She was used to him now, she supposed. He never ate, he slept, she had learned, in a hyperbaric chamber, and she knew now that all of his limbs were cybernetic. For all of that, she also sensed that he wanted her here, and that he would protect her against any force that sought to separate them.

Leia followed the news about Alderaan on the Holonet. Her childhood friend Winter had been formally adopted by Breha Organa and set apart as the heir to the throne. That was good. All while they had been growing up together, Winter had been much better at acting the part of a princess than Leia ever had been.

She travelled with the Emperor to his Winter Retreat at Coruscant’s frigid North Pole while her father was away with the fleet. She was surprised to find that she missed Vader. Somehow, after everything, she expected to sense him nearby, to hear the sound of his respirator. He would come back, he had promised, and perhaps one day she would be allowed to accompany him on the Devastator in his capacity as Supreme Commander of the Military.

Grand-Moff Tarkin visited court at the Winter Retreat.

“Princess Leia,” He said expansively, as if they were old friends.

Leia just looked at him. She had a lightsaber now, but it was concealed in a boot holster under the long lines of her black gown. She knew the Emperor was fond of Tarkin, but she was Darth Vader’s daughter. She smiled. “Hello Grand-Moff.”

“My dear girl,” Tarkin drawled, “How far you have come.” He was congratulating himself, gross.

Leia crossed her arms. Even though she was just five feet tall, the gesture was often helpful in reminding people whose daughter she was.

Tarkin smiled down at her as if she were a steak or a baby or whatever foul thing he was about to devour.

There were dozens of other courtiers milling around the solarium. The Emperor, naturally, was absent. She supposed he didn’t do well in direct sunlight. She smirked. If she were to bend down to adjust her boot she could light her saber as she rose and slice Tarkin from bottom to top.

“Leia, our master commands your presence.” It was Mara Jade, looking smug, a grey fur stole was wrapped around her narrow black clad shoulders.

Leia put on an expression of obviously false disappointment, “Please excuse me, Grand-Moff.” She acknowledged and let Mara drag her away.

They collapsed giggling as soon as they were out of the solarium. “You were thinking about murdering him very, very loudly.” Mara commented between giggles.

Leia smiled toothily at her friend, “You should have given me a few more minutes.”

Mara made a tsking sound, “Our master might have taken issue if you had sliced and diced his favorite Moff.”

Leia shrugged, “Did he really summon me?”

Mara shook her head, “No, but let’s go see him anyway.”

Leia went along. She couldn’t quite understand how Mara was so eager for their master’s company. Personally she… appreciated Palpatine but was nowhere near as calm as Mara was in his presence.

“Ah Jade and Skywalker.” Palpatine croaked, “Do the festivities of court fail to capture your young imaginations?”

Mara shrugged, “I’d rather be training.”

“And you, Leia?”

Leia nodded, “Yes, Master.”

Palpatine smiled almost fondly. “Very well, you are released from court for today. Use your time well.”

“Thank the stars!” Mara breathed as they switched into their training robes in the room they shared. “Honestly, I can’t wait to get back to the Imperial Palace, this place is just too small.”

Leia nodded, amused. The Winter Retreat was perhaps half the size of the main palace, but still truly massive as buildings went and they hadn’t explored half of it yet.

“Well, we’ll go back for Ascension Week, right?” Leia asked, referring to the week of patriotic festivities which would lead up to the fourteenth anniversary of the Empire, and shortly thereafter to her own fourteenth birthday.

“I suppose.” Mara mused as they settled into their training routine in the spacious practice hall their master had provided for them.

“And my father will have to come back, too.” Leia opined.

“Miss him?”

Leia considered the question, “Someday I’ll be out there with him.”

“You want to command a starship?”

Leia wasn’t sure, she just— liked to imagine a future where she got to set her own direction. “That’d be okay.”

“I think it sounds dead boring.” Mara replied.

“Well, we are at war, Mara Jade, will you do your part?” Leia joked.

Mara slowed to a jog, “I would be more than happy to kill anyone our Master chooses. I just don’t want to do any paperwork,” she pronounced primly.

That made Leia laugh, Mara had been training as a Hand the whole time they’d known each other. Someday she would slip like a shadow through the universe, carrying out their master’s will. Leia imagined she would as well, though her future wasn’t something she had dared bring up with Vader or the Emperor.

“You haven’t even killed anyone yet.” Leia pointed out.

Mara drew her saber, but did not light it. “Yeah, but I know how.”

Leia brought out her own saber and they mock dueled across the room. She liked training in here because whenever their sabers contacted the wooden floor, they left black grooved burns, and the smell was like a campfire.

“What do you say we lure Tarkin out into the snow and gut him.” Leia suggested as she parried Mara’s attack.

Mara force pushed her across the room. “You really want to?”

Leia sighed. “Someday I will kill him.” The Force agreed with the statement, giving them both pause.

“Huh,” said Mara. “I guess you will.”

Leia pushed the thought from her mind, “Not today and not tomorrow.” Like Mara she had never killed, but, also like Mara, she was certainly learning how.

She strode over to the windows which faced a snowy mountain peak, turning off her saber. There was a great green forest. The only one of its kind on overdeveloped Coruscant. She sighed. If they wanted to go out, they’d have to go with troopers. Security around Leia was unremitting. She was getting used to the familiar presence of stormtroopers in the halls, in the ball room, outside her bedroom, but that didn’t mean she enjoyed their company. They were clones, and the mere similarity of their thought patterns was unnerving.

“You want to go out there?” Mara asked, picked up her train of thought as she often did.

“It reminds me of Alderaan,” Leia commented, the thought bitter sweet.

“Ah well, in that case we should definitely go outside. I don’t want you to get all homesick on me.”

Leia brushed away the comment, “Alderaan isn’t home anymore. It’s just the place I grew up.”

The cold was a bracing 25 degrees below, but they had cloaks and furs and even their troopers had special boots to navigate the ice and snow drifts.

“Kriff.” Mara said, assessing the weather.

Leia enjoyed the feeling of snowflakes landing on her cheeks. “Let’s walk to the tree line and back.”

Mara agreed and they set off trudging through snow, the stormtroopers ever watchful for whatever danger was they could imagine. Some planets had truly terrifying snow beasts, but this was Imperial Center and had almost no naturally occurring wildlife.

It took her a few moments to realize that everything around her was completely silent. She couldn’t even hear footsteps in the snow, and the wind made no sound, though she could see the tips of the trees swaying gently. Mara was there at her side, but seemed frozen, her eyes distant and glassy. The stormtroopers were as still as statues. Someone was approaching.

Her cloak and mittens barely slowed her down and she had her lightsaber out and lit by the time the old man got near.

“Leia, I mean you no harm.”

Leia just watched him, waiting for any evidence to the contrary.

The old man’s accent was pure Coruscanti but he looked weathered, as though he had been living hard on an Outer Rim world. When he smiled at her, it was gently, fondly.

She let him get a bit nearer and then pointed her lightsaber at his heart, “Who are you?”

The man smiled raising his hands, “Please Leia, put away your weapon. I just want to talk to you.

Leia settled for letting her saber hang unlit in her hand. She regarded the stranger warily. He was powerful, she realized, the Force clung to him and ran through him.

“You’re a Jedi.” She stated, aching to light her saber and do her duty. “Why are you here?”

“My name is Obi-wan Kenobi. I knew your parents.”

That was interesting. “Which ones?”

Kenobi chuckled, “All four of them, actually. Though I’ve only met Queen Breha once. I was there when you were born, Leia, when Bail Organa first held you in his arms.”

“So you were part of my kidnapping, then?” Leia bit out. It made her angry to even think of it.

“Yes.” Kenobi answered, and the Force told her he was telling the truth.

“Are you here to kidnap me again?” Leia asked, ready to light her saber.

Kenobi smiled, “No. I am here to deliver a message, will you hear it?”

Leia nodded, wondering if it came to a fight if she would be able to kill a fully trained Jedi.

“Your adoptive father, Bail Organa, had planned to tell you himself, but that did not come to pass. Leia, there is a resistance movement, a growing alliance of worlds that wish to stand against the Empire.”

“The rebellion.” She stated, understanding.

“Yes. Bail was instrumental in that cause, and we have suffered greatly due to his passing.”

Leia lit her saber, “So you’re here for revenge?”

Kenobi looked vaguely insulted at the idea, “Hardly. The message is this: If you find you cannot support this Empire of Vader’s and Palpatine’s, there is another option. You could have a different life, if you chose.”

Leia didn’t know what to do, so she did the only thing she was sure was right, she called out to Palpatine in the force.

Kenobi looked disappointed but did not wait around to meet the Sith Master. In a burst of force accelerated speed he was gone, through the trees, and she could no longer sense him in the force.

_Leia._ Palpatine’s voice sounded inside her head.

_Master there was a Jedi. He’s gone now._

_Come back to the palace, child._

_Yes, Master._

Leia was relieved to see whatever spell the Jedi had cast on her companions had broken. Mara was looking at her, fear plain on her pale features.

“We need to go back.” Leia announced, turning her back on the forest.

“A Jedi on Coruscant?” Palpatine smiled, speaking the old name of the planet. “What did he say?”

Leia shivered, it was just her and the Emperor in the throne room, even Mara Jade hadn’t been allowed in.

Leia bit her lip but plowed on with the truth, “He said he knew all four of my parents. And, I think he invited me to join the Rebellion.”

That make Palpatine laugh, “Did he tell you his name?”

“Obi-wan Kenobi.”

Palpatine laughed again, it was a chilling sound, though familiar to Leia now. “Your father’s old master.”

Leia was shocked, she hadn’t know her father had any master other than Palpatine, let alone a Jedi.

“Oh yes, Anakin Skywalker was a paragon among the Jedi, before he entered my service. Kenobi was his mentor and keeper for many years.”

Leia tried to imagine her father as a young man, it was impossible.

“My dear girl, is there anything else I should know about your encounter with the Jedi?”

Leia didn’t think so. But she had a question, “Did Kenobi know my mother? He said he was there when I was born.”

Palpatine nodded, “That explains a great deal. Yes, Leia, they knew each other well. Now I must make Lord Vader aware of this situation. How pleased he will be to hear that his old master is still alive!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. As far as I know The Emperor's Winter Retreat at Coruscant is a creation of blank101, the author of the Son of Suns Trilogy, master of Star Wars fan fiction.
> 
> 2\. Sorry about various spelling errors and typos, they are my Gizka. If you see one, I'd love to know about it.


	11. Ascension

“He should never have been able to get so close!” Vader spat.

Leia shrugged, “Father, I wasn’t harmed.” 

“That is beside the point! A Jedi penetrated every defense around you.” Vader was apoplectic, more so than usual.

“The Emperor said Kenobi used to be your master?” Leia asked.

Vader rounded on her, “Yes. He kept me weak, and blind, and hobbled by an obsolete code of conduct.Is that what you want to hear?”

Leia raised her hands in surrender, “I’m just trying to understand my history.”

Vader paced away, their shared residence felt far too small when he was angry like this. “Father, I would never join the rebellion, if that is what you are worried about.”

Vader huffed, “You are so young, Leia.”

Leia shrugged, “Yes, but I am not stupid.”

Vader coughed.Leia was glad she could make him laugh.“No, my daughter, you are not stupid.”

“Although there was that one time I dropped a water balloon on Moff Tarkin.” She remarked.

Vader strode over to her to cup her shoulder in his gloved hand.“I’m glad you did.”

“I think I'm going to kill him someday.”

“Oh?”

“I’m pretty sure.”

“Very well.” Vader replied, amused.

“You don’t have a problem with that?” Leia demanded, half laughing.

“I do not.You will do what you must, my Daughter.My advice on the subject is to choose your moment carefully.”

Leia smiled, “So… not during the Empire Day celebrations?”

Vader coughed again, “Perhaps not.Though the day may be rather tiring for you, an execution might give you something enjoyable to look forward to.”

That got Leia’s attention.“Wait, why would it be tiring for me?Isn’t it just parades and speeches?”

“The Emperor is making the line of succession known.I will be announced as his heir, and you will receive the title of Imperial Princess.”

Leia just stared at her father, “Do I have a say in all that?”

“No.”

Leia crossed her arms, glaring at her father with all her might. “I don’t want to be in the line of succession.”

“You will make a fine Empress.”He was teasing her, she knew that.

Security was off the charts for the week leading up to Empire Day.Leia was pleased to see Lieutenant Venn was back in her service. Though now, instead of just white clad stormtroopers, she had Royal Guards with their hideous force pikes stationed nearby when ever she left her father’s residence.

Some of the guards, she understood, had fought Jedi before and survived.She liked them about as much as she liked the Inquisitors, which was to say, not in the least. As far she knew her father had several Inquisitors he was training.Like Leia, they could use the force, though her father assured her that when she reached her full power she would be able to crush them into dust.

The Inquisitors were out in the galaxy, ostensibly hunting the last of the Jedi.As she understood it, most of the Jedi had died at the end of the Clone Wars.Many, Mara had whispered, had perished by her father’s own saber.She was well aware by now that her father was a violent man.Even Lieutenant Venn had confirmed that Vader often dispatched with those among his own officers who he found incompetent or disloyal.It made Leia feel safe.More than any other security measure they might devise, she knew her father would be there to protect her.

Leia was extremely surprised to receive a Holo message from her adoptive mother, Queen Breha, on the eve of Empire Day.

“My dear child, I am told you are well and strong, and safe with your biological father.I have some sense of the difficult of the path ahead of you. I do hope you will carry all your lessons with you grow into your role within the Empire.Remember that you are a good person and must make wise choices that serve all the myriad sentients of our galaxy.”

Leia got the point, but wasn’t really sure what to do with it.Breha Organa was Queen of an Imperial World, and had had to choose her words with great care.But, did she really think that Leia would forget to be a good person?She knew that her adoptive parents had believed in pacifism, but she didn’t agree that was the only way to be good. 

She supposed she had come a long way in thesemonths. She had been so scared when she got here, and now… she was about to become the Imperial Princess. She had created this situation by her own childish mistake and her adoptive father had died for it. But now, she had a new life. She had a friend, her real father, and her mentor was the very Emperor of the galaxy. She would be a good person, she decided, following her father’s footsteps to keep the Empire safe and at peace.

The morning dawned bright and cool, thanks to theCoruscant WeatherNet. As soon as she was up, she was escorted by Venn and several RoyalGuards from her father’s residence to the Imperial Palace. 

There, they set about grooming her for the ceremony.Much like the title itself, she had no choices here, and just let the estheticians fuss over her.Mara came by while Leia was being sewn into her gown, with a quick smirk for her. 

“You look, um, regal.”Mara giggled.

Leia glared at her friend, and was promptly told to relax her features or she would set wrinkles in her lovely skin. 

“Why don’t _you_ have to wear a gown for this?” She hissed at her friend. 

Mara smiled, “I’ll be serving in other ways.Thank the stars.”

Leia narrowed her eyes at her friend, “Can we trade places?”

Mara laughed out loud, drawing disapproving glares from the ladies who were poking around Leia’s dress. “Not for anything.”

When her dress, makeup and hair had been done and sprayed, she was given a golden chain to hang around her waist.She didn’t really mind this final addition to her wardrobe.From today onward she would be able to wear her lightsaber publicly, as her father did.That was part of the message her master wished to convey. The future of the Empire wielded the Force.

Mara Jade reappeared along with Venn to lead her to the chamber outside the the pageant balcony. 

Her father stood with the Emperor in quiet conversation. She amused herself for a moment imagining Vader in a gown similar to her own. It was silver and crimson, the colors of the Sith, and had been chosen by her master. It framed her shoulders, narrowed at her waist, the flared into a wide full skirt. Her hair had been done up in a style she never wore, a cascade of curls. For some reason Palpatine had even dictated her make up, including a red circle drawn below each eye. It represented her biological mother, she had been told.

Vader stood at Palpatine’s side as he addressed the crowds milling below the pageant balcony. They were maybe fifty thousand, and they thought themselves luck to have gained entrance to festivities and witness a rare public appearance of the Emperor himself, though she doubted they’d be able to see him clearly.

The rest of the galaxy, she knew, would be watching via live holo, or in the Outer Rim, by recording.She wondered if Breha Organa would be watching.

When Palpatine announced Vader as heir, there were cheers, but when her master beckoned her to come out into the light, and told his people she was Vader’s daughter and Princess of the Empire, there were shocked gasps, then applause for a long time. 

Leia, thank the stars, did not have to make a speech.She just had to stand, with her thick makeup, stiff hair, and heavy gown, and breath, smile slightly, and, she was permitted, if she wished, to wave to the crowd.None of this was new.It wasn’t her first time being a princess, after all.

Palpatine’s speech lasted maybe twenty minutes then she was allowed to follow her father and the Emperor back into the palace.She couldn’t relax yet, but at least she wasn’t being watched by the whole galaxy.

Her father was staring at her and she could see herself reflected in his gleaming mask.The red dots under her eyes, she thought, were certainly distinctive. 

“Come daughter, there is still the reception.”Vader held out an arm to escort her.

Leia took her father’s arm and let him lead her, in the Emperor’s footsteps, to gala being held in their honor.

By the time the whole thing was done, Leia was very ready to get out of her dress and into bed.Mara, was there at her side to escort her, as was Venn, and the Royal Guards.She wondered if she’d ever get to walk anywhere alone again.

They took her to her new suite, which had been finished some months ago.It was larger than her previous one and on a different floor of the West tower.She’d seen it at various stages of renovation, but had preferred to stay in her simple room at her father’s residence most nights. 

Tonight, however, she would stay here, with her guards, and Mara, just on the off chance that the Empire Day festivities got out of control.She doubted that would ever happen on Coruscant, but you couldn’t be too careful.

Mara helped Leia cut herself out of the gown.It was how they ensured, the ladies had told her, that the dress would hold together throughout the entire event.So much better than a zipper or fastener. Leia just knew she was glad to be free. It took ages in the shower to comb the product out of her long hair and her face felt raw once all the makeup was scrubbed off.When she was finally done, the Imperial Princess collapsed into bed and slept for fourteen hours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Empire Day mentioned here is first day of 14 AFE aka BBY5 in case you were wondering.


	12. Lothal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter begins the second arc of the story, it begins a little over a year after the events of chapter 11.

There was nothing Leia Skywalker liked better than to watch her father on the bridge of the ISD Devastator.Not just every eye, but every _mind_ was on him.Even the slightest movement of his hand or cape had grown men nearly wetting themselves. 

She had to be quiet, and not interfere with bridge affairs, those were the rules.But it was still fun.In her black hood, with her lightsaber hanging at her hip, the officers found her nearly as terrifying as her father.

“What planet is this?”Leia asked, figuring it was safe to talk as she stood next to Vader at the viewport.

Vaders helmet swiveled to regard her.“Lothal.”

Leia searched her memory, “Lothal serves the Empire through mining and industry.” 

“Yes.” Vader agreed.“Did your tutors tell you which industry?”

“Lothal is where we make star fighters, Father.”

“Correct.” 

“But why are we here?” 

“I,” Vader replied, amused though she was the only one who could sense that, “Am here to crush a nascent rebel infestation. You, on the other hand, are here to ask endless questions, apparently.” 

Leia gave her father a restrained smile, “How else will I learn?”

Vader did not reply and they both gazed out the viewport at the day side of the planet.Blue water, sable land, and white clouds.It might be a nice place to visit, she thought.

_You will not be joining the landing party._ Vader’s voice cut through her thoughts.

_Can I at least help you with the interrogations?_She asked, replying in kind.More than anything she wanted this war to be over, and to succeed in war meant every Imperial had to do their duty, no matter how hard it was.

_Very well._ Vader acceded, as he often did, to such requests.

Her father’s cloak was singed and there was a fine layer of dust on his armor when he returned to the Devastator, but in the force she sensed his satisfaction.She watched from the balcony as a lone prisoner was escorted across the hanger.It was a human male with, unless her eyes deceived her, blue hair.He was injured, but still walking.

Her father was going with the stormtroopers to make sure his prisoner was secure.That meant that whoever this guy was, he was dangerous.Vader usually trusted the stormtroopers with lesser prisoners.Leia watched as they exited the hangar.If she took the second aft turbolift she could get another glimpse of the party before they put the prisoner in his cell.

Her heart was racing, and she had had to use the force to move fast enough to reach her second vantage point. But it was worth the effort.Vader had the kid in a strangle hold, his short legs dangling above the ground. Leia was sorry she had missed whatever the prisoner had said to provoke her father. 

Vader released his grip and the boy crumpled to the floor, still breathing, that was good.You couldn’t interrogate a corpse, after all.

The troopers tossed the boy into his cell and sealed the door, listening with attention as Vader exhorted them not to let their guard down, the boy was a Jedi.

A Jedi! Leia had only met one before.There used to be thousands, she knew, before she was born.Her father’s life’s work had been tracking them all down.He would be so happy to have found another.

It turned out her father had met with two Jedi on the surface of Lothal.Two padawans.He had killed the elder, but the younger one was ill-trained and had been captured.

“What color were their sabers?” Leia asked with interest.

Vader looked askance at her, his ravaged features clear before her eyes as they sat in his hyperbaric chamber.She had known he would come here after returning from the planet.Her father hated getting dust in his armor, and this was the only place he could take off his mask.

“You know all lightsabers are red to my gaze,” her father replied with humor, “Though I would expect blue, or perhaps green.I’ve brought back the boy’s saber to show you.It is unique.”

“How so?” Leia prodded.

“It is also a blaster.”

“That’s awesome.” Leia enthused.She had found that mechanics and engineering were great topics of conversation with her father.He liked building things, and so did she. “So… Do I get to meet him?”

“The Jedi?” Vader asked, though they both knew what she meant.“I do not believe that would be wise.”

Leia knew how to play this game, she knew what her father wanted to hear, “This is my chance to learn how you deal with a Jedi, father!You killed the other one, the least you could do is let me watch you interrogate this one.”

Vader smiled tightly, which was about all the neck of his suit permitted.“You are terribly spoiled, my Daughter.”

Leia grinned.When she had first found out who her biological father was she had never imagined liking Vader so well.But they had their jokes, just between the two of them, and even though her father couldn’t really laugh through the mask, she could make him laugh in the force. 

“Are you going to Holo our Master?” She asked.

“I will interrogate the prisoner first.Jedi are rather more difficult than other prisoners.It may be quite slow.Perhaps you will find it boring and choose to return to your other studies before he breaks.”

It was slow. But it wasn’t boring.The boy, whose name was Ezra Bridger, was strapped to a diagonal interrogation board.Everything an interrogator might want, the droids, the drugs, the electric calipers, all stood pushed off to the side, unused. Her father leaned over him, making the boy look very small indeed, though she suspected that if she were standing next to him they would be the same height.Vader’s gloved hand was pressed against the boy’s chest, and in the force, she could feel him attacking Bridger’s mind.

This was different than interrogating regular prisoners.When her father interrogated force-blind sentients, their minds just fell apart, like petals being pulled off a flower.Now, however, the boy was fighting back in the force, using everything in himself to prevent Vader from entering his mind.It was… impressive.

Suddenly there was a tremor that could only mean some sort of breakthrough, Vader leaned back and the boy started weeping.“Kanan.” He moaned.

“Kanan Jarrus?” Vader was quick to reply. “He is dead, boy, no one is on their way to rescue you.”

The boy opened his eyes, vibrant blue.He breathed in heavily, taking advantage of the respite.“My friends will come.”

“The Specters? They have fled the system.You are alone.” Vader told the boy mercilessly.

The boy’s features hardened, he looked away from Vader, noticing Leia for the first time.His eyes widened and he gave her a look of disgust.“How many of these Inquisitors do you have, Vader?”

Several.”Vader replied crisply. “All fallen Jedi like yourself.”

“I will never serve you.” Bridger enunciated. 

“You will.” Vader assured him easily.“Everyone breaks.”Vader turned to look at her now, “Come, young one, we must let the Jedi consider his options.They are very few.”

Leia knew better than to argue in front of a detainee.She preceded Vader out of the interrogation chamber.

“He thought _I _was an Inquisitor?” Leia laughed, vaguely insulted.“I look nothing like an Inquisitor.”The Inquisitors she had met had grayish skin and blood red eyes, due, her father had told her, to the corruption of the dark side and the rigor of their training on Mustafar.

“True.” Vader her walked with her back to their quarters near the command deck.

“When will you go back?”

“In five hours. In the meantime the boy will be kept awake and on edge.”

That made sense.Some prisoners needed a bit of time alone to decide if it was really worth fighting a battle they couldn’t possibly win.

“Can I come watch then, too?” Leia pressed, she wanted to see what her father would do next.

“I don’t believe that will be possible, Daughter, as you have neglected your studies for far too long.”

Leia didn’t push.She knew her father meant that if she made sufficient progress in the next few hours she would be allowed to watch the next session.

In the next session the Jedi broke completely. Whatever horrors Darth Vader had made him see through the force, the boy had had enough and was begging for respite, promising to cooperate.Leia was a bit disappointed, she’d hoped a Jedi would last longer, but, she reasoned, this boy was only a padawan.

After Vader had what he wanted, the boy’s submission and a promise to obey, he left Leia to ask her own questions.The boy was in a force collar now, so she couldn’t peer into his mind, but that was okay, he needed no more persuasion to talk.

“How old are you?”Leia asked the boy.His eyes were sunken and his skin caked with sweat and grim.

“Fifteen.” The boy told her hazily, his eyes drooping.

“When is your birthday?”Leia knew her questions were silly compared to the information her father had gleaned, but she liked how easily the answers came.

“Empire Day.”So, the boy was two days older than her, if that. A child of the force, just like her.

Leia wondered what to ask next.The boy decided he had a question of his own, “Who are you?”

Leia smiled, “You really don’t follow the holo-news do you?”

Bridger winced, “I’ve been a bit busy trying to stay alive.It’s war out there if you haven’t noticed.”

“My name is Leia.”She told the boy.“And I’m not an Inquisitor.”

The boy looked terribly tired, but a knowing look lit his eyes, “You’re Vader’s daughter.”

“I am.” Leia gave him a nice, princessly smile, as if she were meeting him at court.

The boy’s eyes were drifting shut. She thought of using one of the torture implements to shock him but she couldn’t quite bring herself to do so. She hoped her father would keep the boy awhile so she could talk to him again.

They were heading back to Imperial Center.The boy had submitted, but only the Emperor could make the final decision as to wether Bridger would be trained as an Inquisitor or die.

Leia hoped Mara Jade was back from her mission.She had been a little tiny bit jealous that Mara, who was a whole year and a quarter younger than her, had gotten to go alone to Nal Hutta, to carry out the Emperor’s will.Mara would be smug, Leia expected.She wondered how many people Mara had gotten to kill.

If only her father weren’t so ridiculously over protective, Leia’s own saber would have tasted blood by now.As it was, Vader was zealous about not letting her fall into any situation where she might have to defend herself.What he didn’t seem to understand was that she was ready.What was the point of all this training if she never got to fight? 

She wished, in retrospect, that she had attacked Obi-wan Kenobi when she had had the chance. Sure, he was a fully trained Jedi Master.But he had seemed kind, he probably would have hesitated to kill her, and then she could have killed him.Maybe.She should have at least tried.

They would be in hyperspace for four more hours.Lothal was on the very edge of the Outer Rim.She could sense her father on the bridge, which meant the prisoner was probably available for another chat.

Bridger’s eyes were more focused now, though bloodshot, he had had some time to recover from what Vader had done to him and he was veritably sparking with anger.

“So you’ve come back.” He spat.

Leia shrugged, “The Emperor might kill you once we get to Imperial Center, so I might not get another chance.”

The boy blanched at that, but set his jaw.“I hope he does.”

Leia gave him a little smile, “What is it like to be a Jedi?You are only the second one I’ve met.”

Bridger blinked at her, surprised. “Who was the other one?”

Leia knew, she knew, she shouldn’t say.It was not impossible that the boy would somehow escape and bring the information back to the Rebellion.But, something in those big blue eyes made her want to tell him her secret.

“Obi-wan Kenobi.”

The boy’s eyes widened, and somehow, through his pain, he managed a smile. “He’s alive!”

Leia shrugged, “Yeah.But like, really old.He was a general in the Clone Wars.”

“You wanted to know what it’s like to be a Jedi.” The boy reminded her, apparently willing to talk.

Leia nodded eagerly.

“We protect people.We fight the Empire.My friends, they aren’t Jedi but they are just as strong.”

“You are part of the Rebellion.” 

The boy shrugged against his bonds, “Sort of.We were hoping we could get the Rebellion to help us out on Lothal, but…”

“Why didn’t you ask the Empire for help?Lothal is an Imperial world.”Leia was not disappointed by how angry this made the boy.

“Are you kriffing kidding me?The Empire is the entire problem. Everything that has gone wrong in my life is because of your stupid Empire.” He spat.

“It is your Empire, too.” She informed him primly, just trying to rile him up more.

“Kriff that.” Bridger bit out.“The Empire is evil.”

Leia smirked, “That’s a bit rich coming from a terrorist like yourself. The Rebellion is the whole reason the Empire has to maintain such a big military.”

Bridger glared at her with contempt but when he spoke it was to ask an unexpected question, “What’s it like having Darth Vader as a dad?”

Leia considered the question.“Well, I get to meet fascinating people like yourself…”. Was she flirting with the prisoner now?Really?She had to get a grip.“Vader is a good father.He keeps me safe…”

“But you know what he is…?” Bridger pressed.

“What?”

“A Sith.”

"Yes, of course I know that.” Leia snapped. “I’d have to be blind not to know that.”

Bridger narrowed his eyes at her, “And yet you think you’re a good person?You’re a Sithspawn!”


	13. Sithspawn

Just as Leia had suspected, Mara Jade was unbearably smug and full of stories to tell her when they met on Imperial Center. 

“And then the Hutt just started oozing slime all over the place. I stepped in it. It was warm.”

Leia sighed, “You are so lucky! I wish I could kill a Hutt.”

“Well, if you want to you’d better get to it, they aren’t as common in the galaxy as they used to be.” Mara quipped.

“Mara Jade the Huttkiller!” Leia joked. She had missed her friend these last few months. 

Mara considered the nickname, “I like it. But what should we call you?”

Leia sighed mournfully, “Well as I haven’t killed anything sentient yet… Maybe the ‘Pacifist’? The Alderaanian’? ‘The Nerf Herder’?”

Mara cried with laughter. “No, I would never say such awful things to the Imperial Princess.”

“The Jedi we captured on Lothal called me a Sithspawn.”

Mara pointed at her, “Yes! Sithspawn and Huttkiller, I love it. Don’t worry Sithspawn, you’ll kill plenty of sentients soon, I’m sure of it.”

Now that she was back on Imperial Center, Leia had to attend court. That meant ridiculous gowns, heavy hairdos, and too many placid smiles.

No one but Palpatine sat on a throne. Vader often stood behind him to the right. The guard and adjutant. Leia contented herself with lounging on the steps up to the throne. That way she could talk to her master between visits from whatever petitioners thought their problems warranted the Emperor’s direct attention.

She had chosen a blue gown today. Her master preferred Imperial colors like silver, crimson, or black for state events, but just for court she could choose what she liked. Today she had felt like this vibrant blue would be perfect, it had just seemed like that kind of day. Then she realized, and couldn’t stop a blush from staining her cheeks as she realized, she had been thinking about the blue-eyed Jedi. Kriff.

Palpatine looked over at her, a knowing look on his ravaged face, but he said nothing and returned to his conversation with Mas Ameda.

Kriff. Leia couldn’t help it, she was fifteen years old. Sure there were other princes and princesses, glorified hostages, as she had been once, but they weren’t interesting. Not like the Jedi.

She rose from the dais, taking care to be silent as she moved in the Emperor’s presence. Jade was lurking against a far wall. Her clothing black, blended in with the shadows of the dimly lit room. But her pale face shone brightly as she watched watched their Master conduct affairs of state. 

Leia mouthed, “Huttkiller,” at her. Mara stifled a small smile, clearly fighting to keep her features smooth and emotionless while facing their Master.

Leia bowed herself out of the presence room and entered the attendants hall, the gathered courtiers bowing low in acknowledgement. She waited patiently for Mara to join her, content to let the gathered sentients stare at her. She was used to it.

“Shall we?” Mara asked lightly as she appeared at her side. They linked arms and left court, ignoring the stares that followed them.

“I want to show you the Jedi.” Leia whispered. 

“He’s here?” Mara asked, looking excited by the prospect. 

“Just don’t fall asleep like last time you met a Jedi.”

“I didn’t fall asleep,” Mara hissed, though she was giggling, “That vile Jedi did a spell on me or something.”

“Aw, did the mean Jedi put a spell on you, Huttkiller?”

“Yes.” Mara replied primly. “But I’ve recovered, thank you very much. My mental shields are stronger than ever.”

Leia took her down to the detention levels. Known by the palace staff and security, they could go nearly anywhere in the Palace without interference. 

Leia was delighted to find the Jedi was awake and lucid, and had been put in a force cage. She hadn’t gotten to see one before, it was a bit old fashioned, but it was a fine way to let the Jedi have limited access to his powers but no way of using them to escape.

“Hello, Leia.” Ezra Bridger said almost eagerly as he saw her. “And friend.”

Mara gave her a side-eyed glance, “You let him call you by your given name?”

Leia shrugged, “He’s a rebel. I’m not really his princess, am I?”

Mara rolled her eyes but sat down on the floor outside the cell next to Leia, “And what is the Jedi called?”

“Ezra.” Leia supplied, and the boy actually blushed. 

Mara gave her a teasing look then focused on the prisoner, “Congratulations on not being dead yet.”

Bridger blinked, “Thank you… Miss?”

“You can call her Mara Jade, Ezra, she’s my best friend.”

Bridger looked between them, “So is this some sort of really low key Sith torture technique?”

“Yes.” Both Leia and Mara managed to say at the same time before they broke into a fit of giggles.

“I’m done for!” Bridger sighed, playing along.

“You seem like very nice girls, except for being evil. Would one of you like to perhaps leave my cage open when you go?” He suggested.

Mara smirked, “Like so we could hunt you?”

“You could try.” Bridger shot back.

“You will not.” Came Darth Vader’s voice from behind them. How had he snuck up on them? Had he heard them laughing with the prisoner?

When Leia and Mara didn’t reply, Vader spoke again. “Why are you here?”

Leia shrugged, “I wanted to show Mara the Jedi.”

“This is not a zoo.” Vader chastised.

Bridger looked like he disagreed but was holding his tongue.

“We were torturing him?” Leia ventured hesitantly.

“Yeah,” Mara chimed in, “We were torturing him!”

Vader peered at Bridger who naturally bore no signs of recent torture.

“It was a really low-key kind of torture.” Bridger piped up. Then all three of them started laughing.

A low hiss which might have been a sigh escaped Vader’s mask. “You should not get attached to the prisoner,” he snapped. 

Leia supposed her father was right. Soon Bridger would be gone, one way or another.


	14. Attachment

The next time Leia saw the Jedi, he was not laughing.He had met with the Emperor and survived, but not without getting badly injured.He was just out of bacta, and still unconscious.A faint tracing of pink lines on his copper colored skin told of what must have been terrible burns from Palpatine’s lightning.

She had expected no less. You couldn’t just turn a Jedi, you had to break him down, that much she knew, though she had never had a chance to witness the process before now. It had not been enough that Ezra had broken on the Devastator, Palpatine and Vader would keep breaking him down until they could mould him into whatever shape they desired.

She was just glad he was still being kept on Imperial Center.She had worried her father would whisk him off to Mustafar and she wouldn’t be privy to the transformation taking place.Mustafar was… not her favorite place in the universe, nor was it her father’s as far as she could tell.But that was the planet Palpatine had given to Vader to build his palace, and he put it to good use creating the Inquisitors who he sent to hunt down the last remaining force sensitives in the galaxy.

Leia wondered idly if she would have been tortured like this, if her father hadn’t found her when he had. Her adoptive parents had been in league with the Rebellion, so she probably would have been a Rebel, too. Where would she be now? No where good, she imagined. As far as she could tell there was no upside to being a rebel. 

She glanced down at Bridger. His blue eyes were just barely open. He was looking at her. Kriff! 

“Well, well,” Leia drawled, “I hear your meeting with the Emperor was… eventful.”

“I’m still alive.” Bridger rasped, his voice lower than a whisper.

“Yes. Well done.” Leia replied, a false smile on her face. 

“Where am I?”

“Still on Imperial Center.”

“Medbay?”

“Yeah. You were pretty toasted when you came in.”

Bridger’s eyes rolled back in his head, she sensed he was remembering the torture.Then he was out again, unconscious.

_Your prisoner woke up briefly. _ She told her father through the force.

_You just can’t stay away from him, can you? _Vader’s tone was a mixture of contempt and humor.

Leia blushed, it _really_ wasn’t like that. It was just fun to talk to him. Every other boy she met was always trying to impress her. Bridger… was just Bridger. He had nothing to gain by posturing and she liked his lack of artifice.

Vader must have notified his personnel because stormtroopers were filing into the medbay, ready to deal with Bridger if he woke again. She suspected he would be put back in his cell as soon as he could handle the transfer.

She left the detention levels and took the turbolift up to her quarters. 

She was not at all surprised when her father came to visit her sometime later.

“You are spending far too much time with the prisoner.” Vader spat. 

Leia bowed her head, “When are you going to take him to Mustafar?”

“Soon.”

“And how long until he becomes…”

“Useful?” Vader cut in.“He is very stubborn.It could be some time.”

Leia thought about that, “You’ll make him like the other Inquisitors.”

“What of it?” Her father replied with some heat.

Leia shrugged, “I like talking to him.”

Vader sighed. “I was like you when I was your age. I, too, refused to heed warnings about the dangers of attachment.”

“And you regret that?” Leia pressed.

Vader gazed at her for a long time, clearly considering his response carefully. “I would trade nothing in this galaxy for having you with me here now. But we should have been together, the three of us, as a family.”

Leia wanted to cry, she felt that peak of emotion threatening to push her over the edge, Vader so rarely spoke about her mother. 

“I wish I had known her.” Leia whispered.

“You are very like her, my Daughter.”

“Thank you, Father.”

“And as such, I would protect you from every suffering.”

Leia folded her arms across her chest, “And if I want to find my own way?”

Vader coughed, which was as near as he could get to a laugh. “No wonder Obi-wan despaired of me.”

Leia held her breath, desperately eager to hear more, but unwilling to irritate her father by pushing too hard.

“I know you crave action, Leia, of course you do. It is in your blood.”

“But you insist on holding me back!” She regretted it as soon as she had said it. 

“No.” Vader told her firmly. “I know you must make your own way. But I would give you every tool and every weapon so that you can triumph over all obstacles.”


	15. Undercity

“Why so glum, Sithspawn?” Mara poked her head into Leia’s bedroom, where she was staring out the window, thinking about everything.

Leia glanced at her friend, “Just thinking.”

Mara nodded as if she could understand how complicated Leia’s life was.“Let’s go into the city.”

Leia considered it.Mara meant for them to sneak out, in disguise and go into the undercity.Yes, it was a good idea.She needed to get away from the palace, and her father, and Bridger, and just have some fun.

She treasured the few chances she got to be truly anonymous.All it took was a wig, spacer clothes, and blasters at her hips instead of her saber, which she kept concealed at her back.

They never went to the same cantina twice, and there were thousands to choose from in the vast undercity far below the daylight levels of Coruscant.

Down here there were far more aliens, non-humanoids, Twi’leks, a lone Ithorian, and dozens of near-humans, like the violet skinned Pantoran girl who was dancing languidly to the cantina band. 

Leia sat on her stool at the bar, watching Mara make eyes at some creature who might have been a Bothan, she couldn’t really tell. She nursed her drink.It wasn’t very strong, but it was terrifically sweet.A little girl’s grown up drink she thought in disgust. She was fifteen years old, and her father insisted on keeping her safe and cozy surrounded by ballgowns and ImperialGuardsand Star Destroyers. 

But really, what could she do about it?Her father said he understood, but how could he?From the bits she could piece together Vader had been a Jedi knight at her age.He’d travelled all over the galaxy with Obi-Wan Kenobi.But the man who had once been Anakin Skywalker was loath to speak much of those times, it pained him terribly, she knew that.Extracting any hint of his past was like pulling slivers from a deep, infected wound.

Mara had lost interest in the alien she’d been talking to and wandered back to her place with Leia at the bar. 

“What would make you happy, Sithspawn?”

Leia sighed, “I have absolutely no idea.”

“You miss Bridger?” Mara prodded. 

Leia scowled, “You are as bad as my father!”

Mara gave her a flattered wide-mouthed smile, “Why, thank you!”

Leia chuckled at that but kept talking, “He thinks I’m getting attached.As if that were a bad thing.”

A pink haired human girl was looked at them strangely, “Were you talking about Ezra Bridger?”

Leia reached out in the force.The girl wasn’t force sensitive but she was strong and well used to combat. The image in her mind was of an Ezra Bridger a little bit younger and a lot happier.

“Did you know him?” Mara asked, clearly realizing she shouldn’t have said the prisoner’s name out loud in a crowded cantina.

The girl, clad in a body suit which might well go under armor sighed.“Can I sit with you?”

“Let’s get a booth.” Leia suggested. The three of them slid into a booth at the quieter end of the cantina and ordered more drinks. 

“How did you know Ezra?” Leia asked the girl.

The girl scrunched up her face like she wasn’t sure what to say. “I guess I didn’t know him that well. But I flew with him a bit.”

“What’s your name?” Mara asked.

“I’m Ria Talla.” The girl answered easily. 

Leia gave her a friendly smiled, the girl had lied about her name, but so would she.“It is nice to meet another friend of Ezra’s.I’mSiddha and this is my friend Dade.”

Jade kicked Leia under the table, hard. Leia kicked her right back.

“How did you meet Ezra?” Ria Talla asked, suspicion and curiosity flashed across her features. But the girl didn’t think she was in any danger, she was armed, Leia realized, she wouldn’t hesitate to fight if it came to that.

Leia put her palms on the surface of the table, a move to signal peace. “I met him at Lothal.”

Talla smiled, “I’m surprised he never mentioned you.”

Leia shrugged, “I didn’t know him that well.”

“But you said you missed him.” Talla pressed.

“Actually, no.” Leia corrected, “Dade here asked me that, because she thinks I had a crush on the boy.”

Talla’s eyes widened at that but she didn’t say anything.

“Rather, I think the boy had some very unique skills, that’s all.”

Talla became tense and silent. “You know what he was?”

Leia nodded. 

“Do you know what happened to him? You speak of him in past tense so I guess you already know…”

Leia nodded, “Vader caught him.” A few faces glanced at her then quickly away as she spoke her father’s name.

Talla looked uneasy, “Yeah. Listen I’ve gotta go, can I give you my comlink code? Maybe we can talk again later.”

Leia took down the code, but hadn’t brought a comlink of her own.She had far more reliable ways to communicate.

Talla left the cantina quickly, glancing back at them twice.

“I think you spooked her, Sithspawn.” Mara observed.

Leia shrugged, “I wonder how well she knew our boy?”

“Jealous?”

“Not at all, she’s very pretty in a sporty sort of way, but I’m more interested in using this to torture our Jedi.”

“Ria Talla is here on Coruscant.” Leia told Ezra Bridger.Bridger was back in his force-cage, mostly recovered from Palpatine’s lightning, and actively pacing the confines of his cell.

When Leia said the name, there was a moment of confusion and then he smoothed his features as if he had never heard the name before.Which meant, obviously, that he knew exactly who she was speaking about.

“She’s nice.We had a drink with her in the undercity.Is she part of the Rebellion?Should I bring her in?”

Bridger blanched, “Does she know I’m here?”

Leia smiled, Ria Talla was clearly one of Bridger’s compatriots.“She doesn’t know anything.She’s one of the Specters who abandoned you on Lothal, isn’t she?”

Bridger shrugged, “I’m glad she survived.”The boy was smiling now, as he had when she’d told him Obi-Wan Kenobi still lived.

Bridger resumed pacing the cell, nervous energy all around him. “Do you have my saber?”He asked all of a sudden.

Leia raised an eyebrow, “That thing is the weirdest weapon I’ve ever seen. Half blaster, half saber.You should have marketed it.You’d be rich and not here, in detention.”

“Yeah.” Bridger agreed.“You have it?”

“My father has it,” she corrected.“I think he said your work was quite impressive for the materials you had at hand.”

“How nice.” Bridger spat, anger welling up thinking of his captor and torturer.

Leia gave an exasperated sigh, “If you’d just stop fighting him, your life would get better.You have skills my father respects, you are strong in the Force, don’t throw that away because of loyalty to the Rebels.You can have a new life.”

Bridger looked away, facing the back of the cell.“Will you tell Talla not to look for me? Please?”

“Tell her yourself.” Leia suggested, holding up a comlink she had acquired.

Bridger gasped, “You’d let me talk to her?”

“I don’t see the risk. Even with an army of ten thousand she wouldn’t be able to rescue you from here. And you’ll be gone soon, anyway.”

“Please give me the comlink.

Leia placed the comlink in the drawer used to safely pass food to the prisoner. Ezra Bridger looked like he couldn’t believe his luck.

Leia told him the number and he dialed, smiling at her all the while.

“Ria.” He said.“Yes, it's me.I’m fine.No. That’s— not the whole story.No please, you have to stay away from both of them. Leave Coruscant, go home!I’m not going anywhere.I can’t— That’s not going to happen.Just tell them I’m dead.Please.Promise me you won’t look for me, Sabine. And destroy your comlink, you are in terrible danger.”

Bridger turned off the comlink, and put it back in the drawer.

“Thank you.” He said solemnly. 

“So that _was_ Sabine Wren I met last night.I’ve read her file.Most impressive.” Leia mused.

“You’ll never catch her.” Bridger hissed, “She’s too good.

“Hunting Mandalorians isn’t really my area, Bridger. Anyway, I’m going to say goodbye for now, Jedi.”  
“Oh, are you leaving?”

“_You_ are.My father has a special place for people like you.If you do well, I’m sure we’ll meet again.”

Bridger looked grey, “I— Thank you, Princess Leia.You’ve made the worst days of my life, very slightly less awful.”


	16. Relation

Her father was gone.Her pet Jedi was gone.Mara had left for another covert mission early this morning , and Leia was stuck in the Imperial Palace, with nothing much to look forward to. Vader had point blank refused to let her come to Mustafar.She had interfered in the boy’s conversion more than enough, he’d told her angrily. 

She had her studies, she could call whichever tutor she wished to work with, she could train, though that would just make her miss Mara even more.

Then the Emperor commanded her presence.Leia put aside her planned idleness and put on a simple crimson gown, sleeveless, and over it her black hooded cloak.She pulled on long silken gloves and boots to complete the look.Her lightsaber swung from the chain at her waist.

“Yes, My Master?”She asked when she had entered the Emperor’s presence.

“Ah Princess Skywalker, thank you for humoring my summons.” Her master seemed to be conversing with a very beautiful blond haired woman wearing an extravagant Nabooine gown in gold.

“How may I serve you, My Master?”Leia asked, wondering who the woman was.

“This is Pooja Naberrie, our senator representing the Chommell sector. Leia, you should spend some time with this woman, you might find you have much in common.”

Leia was reminded of how the Emperor had stuck her and Mara together when she had been brand new at court.

“Yes, My Emperor, it would be my pleasure.” She told her master, then to Naberrie, “Come Senator, I should very much like to offer you some refreshments.”

Back in her quarters she commed the kitchens to send some things up, and promptly ensconced herself with the Senator in her sitting room. 

“You’re from the Emperor’s home planet.” She observed.

Naberrie nodded, “Yes, have you been to Naboo? I would love to show it to you.”

Leia smiled, “Someday.”

“Highness, when we watched your introduction as the Imperial Princess we were so moved by your choice of make up.Your look was so reminiscent of one of our former queens.”

Leia blushed, “Which queen was that?”Though she was sure she knew.

“Amidala. She was my aunt actually.” Naberrie confirmed her suspicion. 

“I’m glad Naboo appreciated the makeup. It was dictated by the Emperor, naturally. I suppose he wanted to give a special nod to his home world.”

Naberrie smiled gently and sipped at her tea.

“Your name… Skywalker, is also familiar to my family.”Naberrie said softly.

“Really?” Leia asked with interest.

Naberrie nodded, “Amidala, when she was queen, and then later when she was a senator, was often accompanied by a Jedi named Anakin Skywalker.”

Leia regarded her evenly, “Did you meet him?”

Naberrie shook her head, “I might have when I was a baby. My family always wondered about him and my aunt.As my grandmother put it, they seemed very close.”

Leia poured some more tea, enjoying the game, Pooja Naberrie had a very strong suspicion that Leia was the product of that closeness.

“Senator Naberrie, you know whose daughter I am.”

“Yes.”

“I am Darth Vader’s daughter.”

Naberrie sighed, “You look so much like Padme.”

Leia relented. “And I _am_ Padme’s child. Vader is who Anakin Skywalker became.” Leia told her, enjoying the ripple of shock, anger, and sadness that the woman provided as she absorbed the information.

“Thank you for telling me.” Senator Naberrie, her cousin, said tearily. “We wonder if somehow you could be the child she lost.”

“I am.” Leia said softly, “You must realize this hasn’t been made public knowledge. HoloNet searches for any Skywalkers other than myself lead to dead ends.

“Forgive me, Highness, but the Empire has erased so much of what our world used to be.”

“I know.” Leia agreed, wondering if all the old archives where hidden away somewhere in the depths of the Imperial Palace or if it was all just gone.

“We’re cousins!” Pooja exclaimed, with a smile, wiping at a few stray tears.“You have family on Naboo.”

Leia leaned back in her chair.“Someday, cousin, you can introduce me, though I would have to discuss it with my father, first.”

Pooja nodded, paling slightly, “Of course, Highness.I’m just… I’m so glad you survived.”

Later, Leia imagined meeting a group of Naberrie relatives on Naboo.Perhaps some of them would have dark hair and eyes like she did.They would certainly have holos and stills of her mother.And they would have stories.Stories that included her father.

That was dangerous. Stories and evidence of who Vader had been could be, at the very least, awkward if they became public knowledge.Her father would, she imagined, seek out and destroy whoever released such materials.That meant the Naberries were dangerous. At least Vader would think so.Leia would think carefully before brining her father’s attention down on her few remaining blood relatives.

Later still, it occurred to Leia that Palpatine had introduced her to Senator Naberrie with an agenda, he had even called her Princess Skywalker.He had done so on a day when Vader was off the planet.The Emperor knew exactly who both of her parents had been… So what was going on?What did her master hope would happen by connecting Pooja Naberrie and Leia Skywalker?

The easiest thing would be to just go and ask him.

Leia bowed in the Emperor’s presence then waited off to the side, haunting the edge of the dais until her master was free to speak to her.Just now he seemed to be in discussion with a stunning blue-skinned fleet admiral.This was Thrawn, she realized, one of the highest placed non-humans in the entire military.He spoke as smoothly and precisely as any high born Coruscanti.

Palpatine gestured she should join them so she gracefully took her place at her master’s right hand, kneeling and looking Admiral Thrawn in the face.His eyes were red orbs, like nothing she had seen before, and set in his dark blue angular face gave him a striking look.

“Admiral Mitth'raw'nuruodo, this is Lord Vader’s daughter, Leia.”

Thrawn inclined his head, “My pleasure to make your acquaintance, your Imperial Highness”

“Likewise, Admiral Thrawn,” she replied simply.She was already planning to look up his records once she got back to her Holo terminal.

“Very well, Admiral, I believe you understand my desire.” The Emperor said with a tone of dismissal.

“Yes, My Emperor. I will see it done.”The tall officer got to his feet with swift grace. 

Leia watched him bow himself out of the room then looked to Palpatine.

“He is Chiss.I suspect you’ve never seen one before, have you my child?”Her master asked.

“No, My Master, I have not.”

Palpatine nodded, “He is a rare talent. But tell me child, what has earned me two visits in one day? I am honored.”

“Master, I am at your command.”

“Yes.”

“But I… I wondered what you wanted to happen between Pooja Naberrie and myself.”

“Did you talk?”

“Yes, we figured out she is my cousin.”

“Indeed. My aim was only that, Leia, to give you another family member here on Imperial Center.”

Leia relaxed, “Thank you, my Master.”

“Your father misses your mother too much to even speak her name, so I found you someone who could tell you about Padme, if you wished.”

Leia sighed, “I do. But my father won’t want me to.”

“Then perhaps, child, you need not burden him with the specifics.” The Emperor replied easily.

Leia nodded, her father had far more important things to worry about.

“I sense you are at loose ends here in the Imperial Palace.What can I give you that would set things to right?”

This was an immense opportunity, Leia knew, to make a request of the Emperor.For all the great wealth of the galaxy, she had everything she could need or want.But, it occurred to her, there was one thing.

“My master, all I ask is to be permitted continue in your service.But if you were willing, I would like to learn more about the ways of the Sith.”

Palpatine smiled widely, his sulfurous eyes brightened to amber.

“Very well.”


	17. Descent

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for briefly posting the wrong chapter, here is the real chapter 17.

“The Jedi trained here for a thousand years.They believed they knew all the secrets of their precious temple.” The Emperor explained as they walked down countless rough hewn stairs cut deep into the stone. Turbolifts had only gotten them to the tunnels Leia was familiar with, like the one that led to her father’s residence, from there they had gone far deeper and they were now, as the Emperor explained it, in the heart of the mountain.

Leia tried to keep her mind at peace. It had been plain to her for a long time that the Emperor could read her thoughts effortlessly. She had no secrets from him, of course, but surely it must grow tiresome for him to have to hear the chatter inside her head?

They relied entirely on the force to show them the contours of the cavernous space, as such, she sensed clearly when her master smiled ahead of her.

“Every Jedi Master, every Padawan, every Knight, they all slept so gently, in their supposed bastion of the light.But far below - there is only Darkness.”

Leia felt it then, a piercing, creeping cold, like a great mouth ahead of her.There was a cave, and within it— nothing.Her senses told her there was a void, unlike outer space, even emptier, absence, true absence.

Palpatine turned to look at her and she looked back, there was no point hiding her fear. She was with Palpatine, and whatever he had to teach her, she wanted to learn.

“Leia Skywalker, perhaps you will be my greatest apprentice.Perhaps not.Go into the cave, child.”

“Yes, my Master.” Leia murmured, bowing low to the Emperor and then turning to confront the terrifying nothing that lay beyond the mouth of the cave.This was, at the very least, a test of obedience, one she refused to fail. Leia entered.

She was on Mustafar, but not as she had known it.Her father’s palace was absent, only a hovering outpost was perched over the lava.It was hot, and the smell of sulfur was overpowering.

There was a sleek space cruiser parked nearby, and a young woman, very pregnant, and very frightened was standing outside of it. She was talking to a tall young man, and she was crying. He was angry, his eyes bright red in the darkness, he was a Sith. A second man had emerged from the ship. The Sith used the force to choke the girl.

The second man, Leia knew in an instant, was Obi-wan Kenobi. She had met him once, but this Kenobi was far younger. His beard and hair dusty blond rather than the white she had seen.

The two men began to fight.It was stunning to watch the Jedi duel the Sith.They drew on opposite sides of the Force, and all the while they were talking to each other.Leia could not follow the words but she knew the two men knew each other very well.They had loved each other.

Her attention came back to the pregnant girl now forgotten by the dueling men. She lookedperhaps twenty years old, with braided brown hair and creamy smooth skin. Leia suspected that if she opened her eyes they would be brown like her own. Surely this was her mother.

She put her hands on her mother’s belly and felt the life inside. 

Then she was falling, as if the station had collapsed beneath her.She hit the surface of the lava and it started to burn her even as she sank.Her flesh was charred, her bones were burning.Leia died.

Leia gasped awake, Palpatine was leaning over her, peering down at her with he’s eyes glowing like embers.

Leia drew in shuddering breaths. She wasn’t on fire. She wasn’t on Mustafar. This was the Imperial Palace and she was safe with her master.

“Well done, my apprentice.Rise.”

“Master, I—”

“You need not explain what you saw.It is clear to me.You have done well, Leia, but the lesson is not over.”

Leia bowed her head, smoothing her hands over her black robes, glad that they weren’t on fire.

“I wish for you to stay here for three days. Only that. I will come back for you at the end of that time.”

Leia got to one knee on the rough hewn floor. “Yes, my Master.”

Then Palpatine was gone, and Leia was nowhere.

She had no body, there was no sensation of falling.

There were no stars, this was not space.

She was a mind, nowhere. 

Time crept on, but a minute could be an hour could be a day.

She thought of what she had felt in the vision.

She thought of her mother.

Her father.

Burning.

Every painful moment of the last two years played out in her memory. Her guilt over Bail Organa, her fear of the Jedi out in the cold, the growing irritation she felt that Vader would never let her have her own life.

Perhaps she slept. Perhaps not.

Thoughts fell to silence, she was nothing. There was nothing. Just this pain, sadness, jealousy, hatred. 

The void was the force and she was the void.

All the universe moved around this central pin. She saw star systems, planets she had never imagined, great space battles with unfamiliar ships.So many lives, lived out across time.So many deaths.

The moon hung above her cold and grey.This was the dark side of the force made manifest.It was death. Cold metal, focused minds, Kyber crystals.It was all so clear to her. 

She understood.

Leia could feel her body.She was lying curled on cold stone, her very bones ached.She was terribly thirsty.Leia stretched out in the force seeking her master’s presence.He was far away.But he knew she was there, that was enough.She would wait as long as he wished.

Everything was different now.The stone walls of the palace were like glass to her, the minds of the sentients working above tiny points of light.Above a Star Destroyerhung in the sky.Not her father’s Devastator.Her father was… so very far away.Angry, burning.Mustafar.What Kenobi had done to him?What he had done to her mother?The secret her mother had held…

Leia blinked in the darkness. Somewhere in the galaxy she had a brother. 

Perhaps she slept.

The next thing she knew she was kneeling at Palpatine’s feet, drinking water as though she could not get enough.He was laughing, pleased with her. She called the force to bring energy to her weary body and followed her master out of the crypt.In the tunnels, before she entered the turbolift, Palpatine smiled at her with a strange hungry fondness she hadn’t seen on his face before.

“Apprentice, go and rest.”Leia bowed, desperate to get back to her chambers and go to sleep.

When she awoke she knew Venn was outside the entrance to her apartments, in case she should need anything.She ordered a light meal and picked at it with little interest.She must eat, she must drink, but it wasn’t what mattered.Somewhere, far away, her brother was out there.She would eat, to gain the energy to find him, and bring him back where he belonged.

Meditation was far more than what she had believed from the training Vader had given her and Jade.Those techniques had been a prelude, a hint, in the direction of a something much greater.What her master had given her was the ultimate gift - a direct path to all encompassing knowledge.She had been at the center of the universe, now she carried it with her.

Mara Jade came back. She smiled, she joked, she listened with rapt attention as Mara recounted her latest mission. All the while, she could see it, she understood, how the universe was led by her master’s will. Mara truly was his Hand, stretched out across star systems to enact his will. Did she know how special she was?

It was a struggle, sometimes, to keep her attention tightly fixed on the mundane details of her life. All this was fleeting, fragile, unreliable. The Deathstar hung at the edge of the galaxy, the force made in metal. Death which could move through hyperspace, go anywhere. It was still just a husk, but she could see its completion in the future. That was a certainty. Then it would take great bites out of life, and the galaxy would rearrange around those absences.

“You’re day dreaming again.”Mara sighed, as if it were a common occurrence.

Leia blinked at her slowly, “Sorry, Mara, what were you saying?”

Mara rolled her eyes, “Vader’s new inquisitor? Didn’t you hear a word I said?”

Leia considered it, she had and she hadn’t, she forced herself to focus. “Ezra?”

Mara nodded, “Yes, very good.He’s Seventh Brother now.”

Leia smiled, “He turned?”

“Yup.Those sweet blue eyes burn red now.”

“When do you think he’ll be ready?”

Mara shrugged, “Only Vader can say. But I expect we’ll see him sooner or latter.”

“Good, I’m glad he has survived.”

“He’s not like he was, Leia.”

“No, I don’t suppose he would be. Oh, I met my cousin while you were off poking things with your lightsaber.”

Mara blinked, “You… have a cousin?”

Leia nodded, “Her name is Pooja, I think I have quite a bit of family on Naboo, actually.”

“We should visit them!” Mara enthused. “I love Naboo design, it shows so much skin.

“I can just imagine you parading around the palace in some skimpy Nabooine dress.”

“Mmm, me too.” Mara said dreamily. “You’re meant to attend a state dinner tonight. Are you, um, going to be able to focus enough to have a rational conversation?”

Leia smiled, “I’m doing that right now, aren’t I?”

“Yeah, but you are still kind of weird.What happened to you while I was gone?Are you on spice?”

Leia shook her head, “I’m not on spice. Our master gave me a lesson, and it has given me a lot to think about.”

Mara raised an eyebrow, “Punishment?”

Leia shook her head again, “No.A gift.”


	18. Prelude

Her hair was up, braided around her tiara.Tight, heavy, itchy.The gown wasn’t much better.She had chosen what she knew would please her master.Blackest crimson, low cut now that she had a filled out a bit, with the thinest moth silk shawl covering her bare shoulders like a mist. She didn’t hate the necklace, a string of rough cut obsidian.The color reminded her of her father’s armor.

Vader wasn’t here tonight. He was still away on the fleet. Matters in the Outer Rim demanded his attention. But Tarkin was here, and Thrawn, and she had to share a table with them, because nothing was ever simple.

Leia kept her silence as they ate.She listened to the Grand-Moff lecture the Admiral and the Admiral reply in soft, excruciatingly polite tones.They were both so ambitious but in different ways.Tarkin fancied himself one of Palpatine’s closest supporters, as if a force-blind sentient could every understand an entity like Palpatine. Tarkin was proud.Proud of what he had accomplished, and what he would do next.He was fanatically loyal to the Emperor.If Palpatine asked him to cut off his own hand, he would do it in an instant.No wonder her master liked him.

Thrawn was… different.His mind was like a temple of glass, pristine, sharp, and filled with wonders.The Chiss, she thought, were unique among sentients, and what being Chiss meant to this man went beyond anything she could fathom. He understood loyalty, that was everything.It was a shame he wasn’t force-sensitive, but his intellect and capacity for making astounding deductions still made him an incredible asset.

She been so sure, once, that Tarkin would die at her hand.She sensed that future was still possible.She smiled at the Grand-Moff, which unfortunately drew his attention.

“Princess Skywalker,” He nodded much of his smugness of years past had bled away, concealed beneath his nervous knowledge that she was Vader’s daughter and that she wielded the force.

“Wilhuff.” She acknowledged. She was nearly sixteen and second in line to the Imperial Throne, the old man needed to know his place.

Tarkin bowed his head, “Highness, I hope this season finds you well.”

Leia gazed at him, bringing the force oh so lightly against his throat, just enough for him to wonder, and then released it.“Oh yes, Wilhuff.I hope your project is progressing well?”

Tarkin swallowed and inclined his head, “Yes, Highness.”He had no idea how much she knew. She also was quite aware that the information and missions the Emperor gave Tarkin were far different than those with which he tasked Admiral Thrawn.

It was to the blue-skinned man she turned her attention now, “Admiral, how go affairs on Lothal?”

Thrawn inclined his head, “Thank you for your interest, Imperial Highness, I am very satisfied with our progress. Do you fly, ma’am?”

Leia shook her head very slightly, “Not as much as I would like, Admiral. But I hear you are producing the most amazing birds for our fleet.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

Leia nodded graciously at the man and settled back in her seat, resolved to ignore them both and read the minds of the other sentients in the room. 

Leia was dumbfounded when her security told her that she had a caller the next day.Admiral Thrawn had requested to meet with her privately.She acceded to the request and now the blue skinned man was drinking tea in her sitting room and admiring her artwork with far too much scrutiny.

“Forgive me, Admiral, but why did you ask to see me?”

Thrawn’s sharp features softened slightly, “Imperial Highness, I am grateful for this opportunity and I do not wish to waste your time. I met another Skywalker once, long ago during the time you would call the ‘Clone Wars’. This was in wild space, his name was Anakin Skywalker.”

Leia blinked. Thrawn had met her father that long ago?

“The name is familiar to you.” The Chiss commented, his attention unwavering from her face.

Leia grimaced, “You read me well, Admiral. Yes, the name is familiar.”

“But you are Darth Vader’s child, correct?”

Leia smiled thinly, the Chiss’ reputation far preceded him. “I believe you are about to make a one of those deductions for which you are so well known.”

Thrawn inclined his head. “I would. But as it has not been made public knowledge, I would tread with some delicacy.”

“The man you met became the man who is my father.” Leia confirmed. 

Thrawn looked thoughtful, “Thank you for your candor, Ma’am. I have long wondered what became of Skywalker. Some have said he died.”

“That is a fair assessment. I don’t think my father has much in common with Anakin Skywalker anymore.”

“Interesting.”

“What will you do with this information?” Leia asked lightly, though she reached out in the force to read the man’s thoughts as she did so.

“Ma’am, I will do nothing. It is a mystery that is now solved. My interest now tends to other mysteries.”

Leia smiled at that. Thrawn’s words matched his thoughts, though with a being of his caliber, she wouldn’t be at all surprised if he had some skill in shielding his mind.

By the time Darth Vader returned to Imperial Center Leia was just dying to tell him what she had seen in her force vision. They sat in his hyperbaric chamber, as was their custom when Vader returned from deployment.She liked being able to see his face, scared and bone white though it was.It was something that few other sentients, if any, would ever see.

“You’ve changed, my Daughter.”

“Yes, Father.The Emperor has shown me things…”

Vader nodded, “Learn everything you can from him, Leia, no one can teach you more about the dark side.”

“I saw a massive round battle station in a vision.” She told her father softly, examining his reaction.

“Then you are growing powerful indeed, my child. Yes, the Deathstar has been in the works since before you were born. We could say it is Palpatine’s child, just as you are mine.”

Leia smiled at that. “It will be a terror in the galaxy once it is operational.”

“All children are.” Vader quipped.His sense of humor was something he shared only with her.

Leia smiled at her father, wondering… “Have you heard anything of Obi-wan Kenobi, father?It has been sometime since he visited me at the Winter Retreat.”

Vader sighed, “I have not.But I believe he is still active in the galaxy.If he died, I would sense it.”

“I think, father, that we must find him.” Leia said softly. “I know about Mustafar, what he did to you.”

Vader blinked, “He will appear eventually.Once the Deathstar is active, if not before.He could never conscience such a thing.”

“Father, I must tell you, I believe Kenobi has betrayed you far more than you know.” Leia led in gently.

“Tell me, Daughter.”

“I saw all of it.You and my mother and Kenobi.I know you don’t want to think of it, but you must.Did you know my mother was pregnant with twins?”

The shock which rang out through the force was all the answer she needed.


	19. Direction

Her father had been galvanized into action,he was like a hurricane in the Imperial Palace as he consulted repeatedly with the Emperor about the existence of his other child.

Leia knew that as soon as Vader had a direction, he would would aim the Devastator and its entourage of ships, known as Death Squadron to seek the boy out.And she could sense there were a hundred likely futures in which he would succeed. 

She did not begrudge her father his enthusiasm.Their family should have always been together, her mother and father, her brother, and herself.Kenobi had taken that away from them.She didn’t understand how the Jedi, who claimed to eschew the dark side of the force, could be so terribly cruel. 

Imagining the specter of a brother out there somewhere brought Leia’s mind back to Ezra Bridger. So she and Jade went to call upon the Seventh Brother, at his quarters below the Palace.་She could sense him within, a bundle nerves and irritation.Strong with dark side power.

When the door to his spartan chamber slid open, he nodded and let them in without a word.

“I wondered when I might see you, Imperial Highness, and Lady Jade.” His voice was low and raw.

Leia sat at the small table in his room while he sat on his pallet.Mara contented herself with leaning against a wall, as if she were Leia’s bodyguard.

There was not much here, she noticed.He had his Inquisitor’s armor piled in a corner, and was wearing just the under layer, a black bodyglove. His hair was short now and he’d lost much of his color.There wasn’t much sunlight on Mustafar.Most notable were the lines on his face, his skin was nearly translucent in places, red and blue veins shone through.His eyes, once blue, were rimmed in red, and any sense of humor she had remembered seemed utterly annihilated in his cold stare.

“How was Mustafar?” Leia asked, as if the boy had been on holiday.

Ezra narrowed his eyes, “I wonder, Princess, if you have even the slightest idea what happens there.” 

Images of lava, of torment, of unbearable torture flashed through her mind. 

She smirked, “Jedi go in, Inquisitors come out.”

“Yeah.” The boy breathed.

“But hey,” Mara spoke up, “You survived.Good for you!”

Red eyes turned to stare at Mara. “Both of you are so soft, so weak.”

“Think so?” Leia asked, not offended so much as amused. “Well, how fortunate that we have an Inquisitor like you to defend our mighty Empire.”

Ezra scowled, “I do what I must because my master commands it.”

“Do you miss your friends, the Specters?” Leia prodded.

A look of absolute pain flashed across Ezra’s face. “They were never my friends.”

“Really? Sabine sure was missing you last time we saw her.”

“She does not matter.”

“If you could, would you go back to them, even now?” Leia asked softly, watching the boy’s expression.

Ezra winced, “They would never accept me, and anyways, I’d never be able to find them.”

Leia smiled, “Hold on to your pain, Seventh Brother, it will take you far.”

The change wrought in Seventh Brother had been severe.She sensed a hunger in him, a desire for blood and action without consequences.It reminded her of her experience in the cave, but she suspected Bridger had not gained the vast insight she had experienced.Rather, Bridger’s world had become a small tight tunnel, in which he could only move forward into further darkness, while remaining unaware of what, if anything, lay beyond it.

Leia wondered how her life might have been different if she’d never been sent to Imperial Center at age thirteen. Her adoptive father, Bail Organa, had been deep in the Rebellion. She imagined she might have met Obi Wan Kenobi, who would have trained her as a Jedi, she supposed. In that case she would have been put into direct conflict with her biological father. Kenobi would have engineered that. Would he have led her to kill her own father? Would he have encouraged it? She was glad she’d been found by Vader and Palpatine. They had rescued her from a very different fate.

Leia knelt in her masters presence, they were alone, which was good, because he might well punish her in earnest.

“You told your father of your vision.”Palpatine observed, his voice remote, cold.

“Yes, my Master.”

Palpatine smiled showing his ruined teeth, “Attachment to his family has ever been Darth Vader’s weakness. You realize he will not rest until he acquires this second child?”

“Master, if I have inconvenienced your plans…”

“Then I would make it known to you, unmistakably.”

Leia held her tongue, he wasn’t angry. 

“My child you see much in force now, tell me, will we find your brother?”

Leia reached out with all her power, the answer was resoundingly yes, they would find him.And with him would come tremendous change.She told this to her Master.

“And what if the boy has already been corrupted by the light? Perhaps irredeemably so? Do you understand what I would have to do, in that case?”

Leia knew. “If he has already trained as a Jedi he must join us or die.”

“Yes. I know you are fond of my new inquisitor, the Seventh Brother. He turned easily, but not all Jedi are thus.”

“Master, I understand.”

Palpatine laughed, “In so many ways you are your father’s child, tamed only slightly by your mother’s rectitude.”

“I will serve you forever, Master.”

Palpatine gazed at her approvingly, “And are you courageous enough to risk everything to do so?”

“I will do whatever you require of me.”

“Good, because I believe I have a mission only you can complete.”


	20. Little Sister

For all that she had wished to be out in the galaxy, carrying out her master’s will, she hadn’t imagined how uncomfortable it would be to go days without washing.The transport was slow, crowded, and stinking.She knew must endue this… filth as part of the credentials she was building.Her hair was short and her face was mostly covered, she did not look like the Imperial Princess.Her willingness to abide in this filth only played to the role she had entered - a spacer waif, in the galaxy, aimless, and carrying a terrible secret. 

Nar Shaddaa was, compared to transport in which she had eat, slept, and defecated for the last two weeks, only slightly more appealing. It was as bright and rough as the undercities of Imperial center, but with a far more diverse array of sentient life.Here, there was no pretense of civility, or respect for the order of the Empire.Nar Shaddaa was controlled by the Hutts, the officially allies of the Empire, secretly a convenient tool which Palpatine would wield as he saw fit to shape his galaxy.

Now she had to wait.She crouched just outside the space port, watching sentients board speeders and be whisked off to other parts of the planet.It was as good a place as any to listen to minds. 

With the force, it was all too easy.She trailed a potential Rebel, who was oblivious to her interest.No one looked at her except pimps and slavers, and she would handle their approaches if she had to. It was easy to kill men like that, who just saw a petite woman they thought they could overpower.They deserved what they got.Though she had to be careful how she did it.She hadn’t been allowed to bring her lightsaber. That would have been far too obvious.

Her mark was in a cantina, now, lost in his own thoughts, eyeing the holos of dancing Twi’lek girls with appreciation.She slipped into the booth where he sat alone, “I need your help.” She breathed.Then in the spilt liquor on the table in front of him, sketched the ubiquitous firebird.The man wiped his hand across the Rebel symbol, destroying it.He looked at her closely, eyes narrowing.He knew she could be a spy, but even that would be valuable, if he did things right.

He asked finally.“Do you have any skills?”

Leia nodded, eyes wide and nervous, “I’m good at fixing things.And I can shoot.”

The Rebel considered her appraisingly. “It isn’t an easy life, you might wish you had stayed here on Nar Shadaa.”

Tears filled her eyes, and she wiped at them furiously, “I can’t stay here.My father is going to sell me.Please, you’re my only hope.”

The man nodded, he had heard this kind of story too many times. “I’m gonna warn you, little sister, you’d better be sure this is what you want and heavens help you if you are an Imp spy.

Leia wiped at her nose, which had begun to run, “I’m not! I promise. Please, I— I want to fight.”

“Shh honey, I dunno how you found me, but I’m gonna get you out of here.”

The man had a ship.Leia, scared but relieved, took to pacing through the decks, there was a skeleton crew, mostly non-human and they paid her little notice.They did not know the man they were working for was a Rebel, they just knew that he had credits.

During the final jump, she had to be drugged. She wasn’t happy about it, but a fifteen year old runaway off to join the Rebellion didn’t have much bargaining power. And so it was that she was put to sleep, and when she awoke, she was in a cell.

Someone came and gave her food and water.It was just ration packets but she devoured them.Then she paced the cell, restraining her powers in the force, if other Jedi were with the Rebellion, she didn’t want them to find her, yet.She could shield herself well enough but it also meant she didn’t have the benefit of what her force senses could tell her.

She slept.She ate.She used the fresher set into the wall of the cell.She was on a large ship, she could tell when they entered and reverted from hyperspace. 

Then a man in a uniform brought her to an interrogation room.A green uniform.She was close.She gave him a scared and pitiful look.“Why did you lock me up?I’m here cause I want to join you.”

The man scoffed, “Looks to me like you’re here cause you got tired of begging or hooking on Nar Shaddaa. 

Leia let herself redden, “The whole reason I had to leave is so that I didn’t have to start hooking! I wouldn’t expect you to understand.”

The man gave her a gentle smile, “Ah, perhaps I understand more than you know.The thing is, little sister, the Alliance doesn’t need more mouths to feed.”

Leia squared her jaw, “I am a good mechanic.Let me show you.”And she did, she fixed broken comlinks, blasters with the charge carefully removed, a data pad that had been dropped too many times, a medical droid.She did it without complaint, relaxing into the work, visualizing the task at hand and letting the force guide her. 

Leia Skywalker was cleared to join the Alliance at Yavin 4.

She didn’t have to fake her excitement as they flew past the massive red gas giant and landed on the jungle moon, dotted withpyramids**. **The air was hot and humid, and she felt something inside herself relax. It had been such a long time since she’d breathed air as fresh as this.

She was given a bed in a dormitory, a wrinkled orange uniform, and directions to a shared fresher. She washed, she dressed in her new uniform, and then she went to look for the canteen, as she had be told to do once she’d settled in.

The Rebels were an odd assortment of spacers, aliens, and several defectors from the Imperial military. She felt sorry for them, that they had turned their back on the Empire. Nothing was worse than a traitor.

She found the sergeant she’d been assigned to and introduced herself. “I’m your new recruit.My name is Siddha Venn.”

“From Nar Shaadaa?”The sergeant looked at her doubtfully, “And you are what, fourteen years old?”

“Sixteen, sir, and I am trained as a mechanic.”

The man nodded with approval, “I can work with that.”

It didn’t take long for Leia to settle in. There was work to be done and there was food to eat. She kept her head down and did the best job she could in fixing whatever they put in front of her. In a few weeks the regular meals were doing her good, she felt strong and happy. 

Then she ran into a familiar face she hadn’t expected to see.

“Siddha!”Sabine Wren cried. “Do you remember me?”

Leia nodded eagerly, “Ria!I never expected to see _you_ here.”

Sabine shook her head in disbelief, “Me neither. Hey, I have a lot of questions for you!”

Leia swallowed, thinking quickly, “We’re on the same side, Ria.You can ask me anything you want.”

Sabine looked to be considering that.“Actually, my name is Sabine.Ria is just a name I use when I’m out on ops.”

Leia held out her hand, “I’m Siddha Venn.”

“So how did you do it?” Sabine asked, her expression pained. “You got a comlink to Bridger. It must have been you.”

Leia shrugged, “My friend Dade.Her brother is an officer, he got it in.”

“But why didn’t you tell me Ezra was alive right there and then?”

Leia shook her head, “Cause we weren’t about to help you go breaking into the Imperial Palace, alright? But Ezra was a good kid. The best I could do was help him have chat with a friend.”

“You were connected with the Imperial Navy, right? That’s why how you met Ezra at Lothal, then me on Coruscant.”

“My mom was… involved with someone on the fleet. We moved to Imperial Center but then she found out he had another family.”

Sabine Wren shrugged, “It happens.Wow, I can’t believe you’re here, Siddha! Come, let me introduce you to my friends!”


	21. Game

The first part of her mission had succeeded. Now was the long game, and to be honest, Leia didn’t mind one bit.If she ignored the fact that everyone here was a traitor and slated for the worst kind of death, she kind of liked spending time with them.Now that she thought of it, she sort of liked having friends and coworkers who didn’t look at her as if she were second in line to the Imperial throne.She’d kept her hair short, and with her rebel uniform and distinct lack of makeup, jewelry or guards, she barely recognized herself.

It was a taste of another life, one where she was Siddha Venn, a Rebel mechanic. It hadn’t been easy to get into the rebellion, but now that she was here, she quite a bit of access. They trusted her. She could stroll among the X-wings and talk to the pilots and techs. She helped out by repairing and upgrading several of the decrepit droids the Rebellion still relied on. It was ridiculous, really, how much she got done, just by wandering around and helping out. Everyone was so kind, so grateful for the extra hands. Without a single Jedi on Yavin to detect her lies, everyone was blissfully unaware that Siddha Venn was, at heart, an Imperial.

Sabine Wren and her friends had a tightly knit group, and Leia liked to visit with them whenever they landed on Yavin 4.It would be in their presence that she eventually made her next move.

They were playingsabacc of all things.She lost and made a fuss about loosing.She swiped at the board, pushing it in the force, and scattered the cards across the floor of the hangar.She cringed, all eyes were on her.She gasped, as if realizing she had revealed herself, and then began to cry.

Slowly it became known that there was a force sensitive teenager on Yavin 4. She acted terrified, denied she had it, all the while giving little clues that she could be powerful if only she was trained.When they finally brought her before a Jedi, however, it wasn’t Obi-wan Kenobi as she had hoped.

Her skin was orange and white, her eyes were blue.She was so tall, her montrals hung over her shoulders and were half hidden in her pale cloak.She wasn’t smiling as she looked Leia over.In fact, she looked quite sad.

“Come with me, we should talk privately.”The Togruta said, and Leia, her mind spinning, followed the woman.Her eyes on the dual lightsabers which hung at her hips.

The Jedi led her out into the jungles outside the temple complex. It was thickly humid, the air was almost like water. The Togruta didn’t seem to mind. She led them to a clearing just out of earshot of the pilots in the hanger, and turned to Leia with a pained smile.

“You are not who you say you are.” The Togruta said softly. “I would like to give you this opportunity to tell me the truth.”

Leia blinked, she had thought it would be different than this, but the Jedi was so gentle and firm, so… willing to think better of her even when she had been caught in a lie.

Leia was panicking and she didn’t like it.There was something about this woman, some connection in the Force she couldn’t fathom and she wanted to tell her everything.But she knew she mustn’t do that.

“My name,” the Togruta said, “Is Ahsoka Tano.What’s yours?”

“Leia.” Leia said, wincing, why was it so hard to lie to a Jedi?

Tano smiled very gently, “You’ve come to the Alliance under false pretenses, Leia, and you have this one chance to explain why.”

Leia looked away, “Are you a Jedi?”

Tano chuckled, “That’s debatable. But I _am_ force sensitive and I know you are too.I know you’ve been trained, Leia.”

In that case, it was time to move on to the next stage of her mission. 

Leia dropped most of her shields, letting her force presence shine darkly.

Ahsoka Tano did not hesitate to rise to her feet, bringing both of her pale blades to bear at Leia’s throat.

Leia did not move, she met Tano’s eyes steadily, “I came looking for Jedi Master Obi-wan Kenobi.He told me a long time ago that I could have a different life if I chose it.”

Tano’s blades did not waver though her blue eyes widened in realization, “You’re Leia Skywalker.”

Leia nodded, “Yes.”

“I should kill you right now.”

Leia would have bowed her head if not for the sabers hissing at her throat. “I’m surrendering.”

She could sense Tano’s mind racing, wondering if she could contain Leia, or even best her in a duel.

“I am unarmed.I am surrendering.”Leia repeated, sure now that the Jedi would not execute her.

“I’m going to stun you.Don’t resist.” Tano said finally.

Leia did not resist. Tano did something in the force and Leia’s world went black.

The Rebellion, it turned out, was not completely unequipped to deal with a potentially hostile force user.Leia woke in a force cage not unlike the one her father had kept Ezra Bridger in, deep beneath the Imperial Palace.There were sentients around her on all sides, and it seemed something of a debate was going on about what was to be done with her.

Leia pulled her knees in towards her chest and curled into herself.She was a prisoner now, and no one was asking her opinion even though it was her fate that rested in the balance.

“She will have useful information.”

“She’s Bail Organa’s daughter.

“She’s Darth Vader’s daughter.

“She says she wants to have a different life, don’t we owe her that chance?”

“She’s too dangerous to hold.”

“We could trade her for some of our own…”

Then the onlookers cleared back and a familiar willowy form looked down at her, short red hair and white robes not unlike the ones Leia herself had once worn. This was Mon Mothma, the long rebel senator. She surveyed Leia impassively, “I met you when you were just a small child, Leia, do you remember?”

Leia blinked and shook her head. Despite herself she was curious. “You came to Alderaan?” 

“Several times. Bail Organa was a friend of mine for many years.”

Leia exhaled, she didn’t know what to do with this information.These rebels could be so gentle but they could also be hard, she knew that.“Then you must have known Obi-Wan Kenobi.” She replied, trying to keep her voice gentle, politic.

Mothma nodded, looking at her fondly, like an aunt. “Yes. I knew him.”

Leia raised an eyebrow at that, “Several years ago Obi-Wan Kenobi came to me on Imperial Center.He made me an offer, that I could have a different life.I’m feeling that offer may have expired…”

Mothma gave her a patronizing smile. “I’m afraid we aren’t sure what to do with you.We know who you are, and who has trained you.I don’t imagine we could ever trust you, Leia Skywalker. You are far too dangerous.”

Leia wasn’t surprised, but also wasn’t even nearly finished her mission.“Will you tell Master Kenobi I have come?” She asked lightly.

Mothma stared at her. “Kenobi is dead.”

Leia sighed, “Please just let him know.” Then she turned away from the leader of the Rebellion, staring into the distance, she’d wait as long as she had to.


	22. Captive

Leia was guarded day and night, though in the force cage there really wasn’t much she could have done to cause trouble.She hadn’t even tried to escape.She meditated, she exercised such as the cramped space would allow.She had a few visitors, none of whom were particularly happy with her.

“I don’t get it,” Sabine Wren spat at her. “You’re the Imperial Princess! You really expect us to believe you want to join the Alliance?”

Leia shrugged, “The Empire has made me into something I never wanted to be. Surely _you_ can understand that, Sabine Wren?”

Sabine’s face darkened, “You don’t know anything about me.”

Leia just shook her head, “I’m not trying to provoke you. But surely you must agree that your Imperial record doesn’t tell the whole story about you any more than whatever you have intel about the Imperial Princess actually describes who I am.”

“We know you are a Sith and a killer.”

Leia was careful not to roll her eyes, she had a role to play even now, “Hey, I helped you on Imperial Center.”

Sabine flushed, “Why did you do that?”

“My father captured Bridger over Lothal. I got to know him.”

“Is he still alive?” The pink haired girl asked, clearly unsure what to hope for.

Leia gave her a sympathetic look, “Your friend is gone.”

“But he’s alive, isn’t he?” Sabine pressed. “You’re playing with words.”

Leia nodded, “And what I’m saying is that you should forget about him.”

Wren didn’t like that answer and went away.

Leia wondered where Ezra was now.What would he do if he knew his friends missed him? What would they do if they saw him, now that he had embraced the dark side? Some conversations were just too difficult. 

It took Ahsoka Tano weeks before she had it in her to visit Leia.

“Do you know what Anakin Skywalker was to me?”She asked straight out when she finally did appear.

Leia shook her head, “My father never talks about when he was a Jedi.”

“I was Anakin Skywalker’s Padawan. ” Tano bit out. 

Leia frowned slightly, “And you never figured out he’d become Darth Vader?”

Tano shook her head, “I thought he’d died. I can’t tell you how shocked I was when you were introduced to the Empire three years ago.A Skywalker, standing between Vader and Palpatine, looking like a miniature Padme Amidala. Then did I begin to suspect.”

Leia thought about that day. Her master always had a plan within a plan, she knew that, she wasn’t surprised at all that her name and her appearance had been a shock for some of her father’s old friends. 

Leia let herself smile, “Vader’s a good teacher, isn’t he? I mean that can’t have changed since you were his Padawan.I wonder if he taught us the same moves.”   
That surprised the Jedi, “Vader’s been teaching you?”

Leia nodded, “Of course.”

“And the Emperor?”

“Yes.”

“And we’re supposed to trust your good intentions?”

Leia sighed, “Tell me about what my father was like, when he was a Jedi.”

Tano looked shocked and not a little pained at the question, “That’s not easy.”

Leia inclined her head, “I know he isn’t the man he used to be.He never told me about you.He’s told me next to nothing about my biological mother. You have answers about my past. It costs you nothing to tell me.”

Ahsoka smiled slightly, “You are a lot like he was, and like your mother too. I can see them both in you.”

“You knew Padme?”

The Togruta looked away, uncomfortable, “Senator Padme Amidala was a good woman. I knew Anakin cared about her. But when it came to politics they were very, very different. Your mother wanted what was good for the galaxy, for every sentient. She had such a kind heart. But Anakin… there was always darkness in him, anger, he wanted to rebuild the Republic but stronger and better, using force whenever necessary… and I guess, he got what he wanted.”

“If you could say something to him, what would it be?” Leia asked lightly, moved by Ahsoka’s candor.

The Togruta’s eyes looked misty, but her voice was clear as she spoke. “I would tell him I am sorry for leaving him when I did. And I despise everything he has become.”

Leia could meditate in the small universe of her cage, but could not reach beyond it.That was fine.She hadn’t planned for things to go quite this way, but everything was in motion, she just had to be patient. If she couldn’t lure Obi-wan Kenobi out of hiding, her Master would force the issue.

Empire Day, in the home base of the Alliance, did not go unmarked.But there were no parades, and, thank the stars, no gowns or events she was forced to attend.Palpatine’s address to the galaxy, however, was thoroughly scrutinized.

The Emperor hinted that a tide was about to turn, that the Rebellion would be utterly eliminated, and soon the peace he had promised would be a reality for every world in the galaxy, not just the privileged Core and Mid-Rim worlds. No mention was made of the fact that the second in line to the throne, Imperial Princess Leia Skywalker**, **was listening to the speech from a cage where she had been locked up for months. The Empire had never even acknowledge she was missing. That fact should have given the Alliance a hint at how dire their situation was, but they were not skilled at reading such signs. They had always underestimated Palpatine. These days were their final moments and they didn’t even realize it. 

Then the Alliance decided to move Leia off Yavin,Maybe some of the Rebels were not completely useless.Maybe Tano had realized the mistake they had made by not shifting the base the second they realized Leia Skywalker had infiltrated the rebellion.

This time she was not told where she was going, nor was she allowed to touch the force at all.She was hooded, force collared and transported in silence.They had realized, then, that she could have given the Emperor their base location any time before Ahsoka Tano had discovered her.As indeed Leia had done as soon as she’d arrived on Yavin 4. 

All this time, the Emperor had known exactly where she was. The Rebels would be clearing out their Yavin 4 base, she knew, but she doubted they would get far.Her Master would know it was time for him to act.

When her hood was pulled off she was in a windowless room, on a spaceship, and not alone.She didn’t need the force to recognize Obi-Wan Kenobi.“Master Jedi.” She acknowledged politely, as if she weren’t in a force collar, shacked to the bulkhead at her back.

Kenobi inclined his head, “Hello there, Leia, it has been a long time.”

Leia smiled, she was still on track, she would make this work. “You made me an offer, on Coruscant. I had hoped the Alliance would honor it.”

Kenobi pulled up a chair and sat regarding her with detached calm.“A compelling story, Leia. But that isn’t the real reason you’ve sought me out, is it?”

Leia smiled ruefully, “I’m rubbish at lying to Jedi.Very well, let us speak frankly, you and I.”

“Please.” Kenobi gestured that she should continue.

“You took me to Alderaan, to hide me from my father.”

“Yes.”

“Where did you take my brother?”

Kenobi’s reaction was unmistakable, he paled, she had surprised him, that was good.

They stared at each other as the minutes ticked by.She wondered what she would be sensing if she weren’t collared and cut off from the Force.At least Kenobi couldn’t read her either.

“I understand why you are hesitant, Master Jedi, but this has to end.”

“How so?” Kenobi asked calmly.

“You’ve committed terrible crimes against my father, you put him in that suit, you stole my mother away, and even now you hold my brother hostage.”

“Luke isn’t being held hostage.” Kenobi stated calmly.

_Luke._ Leia smiled, savoring the name of her brother. She wanted to weep for joy of it. 

“You will bring my brother to me. You will give us safe passage away from this place. You will make this right.”

Kenobi considered her, “How, may I ask, did you find out about your twin?”

“The force showed me, Kenobi.”

Kenobi took a moment to absorb that, “But you don’t know where he is. And, unless I am very much mistaken, Leia, we have you here powerless. You are in no position to make demands.”

Leia shrugged, “I can understand why it would seem that way from your point of view.”

Kenobi narrowed his eyes, “Tell me Leia, what could possibly persuade me to release you and your brother into Vader’s hands?”

Leia sighed, now as the game ended, she was sad to let it go. “Because, Obi-wan Kenobi, the Deathstar is fully operational and headed for Yavin. It will keep destroying worlds affiliated with the rebellion until you give me what I want."


	23. Another Skywalker

After the obliteration of Yavin, the Alliance knew the Empire was serious. Even hidden away as she was, on some unknown ship, cut off from the force, she was informed within hours that the Rebel base had been annihilated by the DeathstarThe Rebels were… displeased, the base had been mostly empty, but these bleeding hearts mourned for the very planet itself, and its history. 

They had not been gentle.Clearly, if you got the Rebels angry enough, they thought nothing of beating a helpless sixteen-year-old girl.She hadn’t made things easier on herself when she had told them Chandrila would be next unless they gave her what she wanted.

And so it was, that Leia was introduced to her brother, Luke Skywalker.He was blond haired, blue-eyed, and so painfully backwater it made her want to cry and laugh at the same time.

“Ben says you’re my sister,” Said the boy, though they were the same age, he seemed so young, so soft. He wore homespun clothing and shivered in the cold of space.

Leia smiled, and wished she could hug him. “Yes, Luke, I’m your twin sister. I’m Leia Skywalker.”

Myriad emotions passed over the boy’s face.She wished she wasn’t collared, she would have liked to sense him in the force.She suspected he shined very brightly.

“But you’re the princess.” He protested. “Vader’s daughter.”He was still absorbing the situation.Surely Kenobi had told him everything?

“Yes.”

“Ben says you want me to go with you. That billions of sentients will die if I don’t.”

“That’s how much we want you back, Luke!You belong with your family.”Leia explained. 

The boy was completely without artifice and he wore no lightsaber, had Kenobi really neglected to train him all these years? 

“Ben says it’s my choice, but there’s something I don’t get.How do we know you’ll keep your word?”

Maybe he wasn’t as naive as he seemed, or Kenobi had coached him well.

Leia smiled at her brother, “We aren’t monsters, Luke.”

Kenobi came back into the room, clearly he had been listening.“Come Luke, that’s enough for now.”The boy gave Leia a long look and left the room.Kenobi remained.  
  
“He is everything I could have hoped for.” Leia said honestly.“Although his accent is painfully Outer Rim.”

Kenobi just stared at her, “Let’s talk details.”

With no little satisfaction Leia removed the unlocked force collar which had been the bane of her existence for so long.The force flooded back. It was such indescribable sweetness to be immersed once again in the living universe, with no blocks on her power.

The Rebels had sent them out on a preprogramed hyperspace jump, hopefully not into the middle an asteroid field or a star.

Her brother was looking at her curiously. “Are you okay?”

Leia drew the force in close to herself, it was exhilarating but she didn’t want to scare the boy, “Better than.”He shone so brightly. Leia could look at him forever. 

“Are we going to Vader now?”

Leia nodded, “We’ll see him soon. Once we come out of hyperspace, I’ll contact him and plot a course. Are you warm enough?”

Luke shivered involuntarily. Leia got up and searched through the stores of the decrepit Alliance shuttle, eventually finding a grey blanket. She handed it to her brother, “Space is cold.”

The boy thanked her shyly.

“You made the right choice Luke.Thank you.”

The boy’s face crumpled, “All I ever wanted was family.I didn’t think it would be like this.”

That stung. “But don’t you see? We had to do whatever was necessary to bring you home. I was kidnapped, too, but father found me when I was thirteen. Coruscant is a great place to live.”

Luke shook his head, “My aunt and uncle on Tatooine must be so worried.”

“Tatooine?Is that were you grew up?”

Luke nodded.

“You can comm them if you want, once we’re out of hyperspace.” Leia suggested.

The boy shook his sandy haired head, “They don’t have a link.”

Leia couldn’t imagine what other privations the boy had been through. 

“I think I saw some ration bars in the hold, do you want one?”

They ate all the ration bars and drank all the water. Leia didn’t dare sleep though she was exhausted, though the pent up stress of so many months in captivity was finally threatening to drag her into unconsciousness.

The reverted from hyperspace somewhere in theOuter Rim. She reached out in the force to her father and was overcome with the power of his reply.

_My Daughter. _

_I’m alive, Father.I have him._

_Admiral Thrawn will meet you at Sullust and escort you to Coruscant._

Leia keyed in the next hyperspace jump. Sullust was just an hour away, then she would be safe, and soon her family would be reunited.

“What just happened?”Luke asked, bewildered.“I felt… something.”

Leia smiled, she was so happy right now.“You felt the force, Luke.” 

Luke looked unsure if that was a good thing or not. He pulled the blanket around his shoulders and started as the shuttle entered hyperspace again. “What’s going to happen?”

“We are going to board a capital ship at Sullust, it will take us home.” Leia explained.

“And then?”

“Luke, I can only imagine how confusing all this is, but please don’t worry, you are with your family now.”

“Would your father really have destroyed Chandrila if I didn’t give myself up?” He asked, clearly fearing the answer.

Leia nodded, “_Our_ father does not command the Deathstar, Luke, but yes, I have no doubt the Emperor would have gone ahead with the threat.”

The Emperor.She saw the boy mouth.She felt sorry for him, this transition was so much more sudden than her’s had been.She’d have to take care just in case he started setting his belongings on fire as she had done when processing the news.

The moment they reverted from hyperspace at Sullust, the shuttle was hit with a massive ion blast from a massive Imperial I-class star destroyer, Thrawn’s ship, the Chimaera. The electronics on their shuttle died, and they were in the dark.She told Luke not to panic and sure enough she felt the tug of a tractor beam reeling them in.

It was as though their tiny shuttle were being eaten alive by the oversized ship.Then they were set down, softly enough, and the hatch was popped.Stormtroopers came in with blasters and scanners, quickly ascertaining that the shuttle contained no hidden gifts from the Rebellion.

She took her brother’s hand and led him down the ramp, into the massive white and chrome hanger where more stormtroopers waited.Luke was terrified, naturally.But Leia felt like she could finally relax.She was home, she was safe.

Admiral Thrawn bowed to her as her feet met the landing bay floor. 

“Your Highnesses, welcome back to the Empire.”

“Hello, Admiral Thrawn, thank you for the pick up.”

“Thanks are unnecessary, Your Highness.Let me show you to the medbay where you can rest. The hyperspace jump will take eighteen hours.We can speak before you arrive at Imperial Center, if you’d like.”


	24. Home

Leia had spent nearly ninemonthsin a force cage and later shackled to a bulkhead.She’d felt wired the entire time. Everything in her longed to sleep, but she couldn’t, because they were about to revert from hyperspace above Coruscant.

She thought about her conversation with Admiral Thrawn. The man had obliquely hinted that he was appalled by the Deathstar’s destructive capabilities, and concerned that so many Imperial resources had gone into building just one ship. But she understood it was the terror the Emperor valued, and the power. He could completely destroy any world that stood against him. Leia suspected support for the Rebellion was going to be very low once sentients realized a single rebel on their planet put their entire world at risk.

Luke just stared blankly as she knelt at Palpatine’s feet, after trailing down between the long lines of stormtroopers and Imperial guards lined up to salute their return to Imperial Center. The Emperor smiled at him as gently as he could, welcoming him to ‘home’ to Coruscant.When the Emperor turned his attention to Leia, she knew she had pleased him with her success.“Regain your strength, then we will talk.”

Luke would be staying with Leia for the immediate future, and that meant various medical teams, guards, and the hulking form of Lord Vader were crowding her apartments. 

Her father clamped a massive hand on her shoulder, “Well done, Daughter.” He peered down at Luke, a range of emotions spinning through him. 

“Luke.” Vader said finally, “Since the moment I learned you were alive, I have been looking forward to meeting you.”

Luke nodded shakily, afraid and confused. 

“Come, young ones, let the medics check you over and then you can rest.”

Leia had tried to stay awake as long as she could. She knew Luke was frightened and her strongest instinct was to protect him. The medics had other plans, however. They sedated her and she fell unconscious still clutching Luke’s hand.

When she awoke she could hear the base rumble of her father’s voice, and Luke replying steadily.She listened to father and son talk, utterly astonished to hear how gently Vader was being with her brother.

“Shmi Skywalker was my mother, your grandmother. She was the kindest person I’ve ever met. I hope the Lars were likewise kind to you. I only met them briefly, years ago.”

“They were good to me.” Luke replied. “Uncle Owen is going to miss me once harvest time comes round. But they’ll have one less mouth to feed, so maybe they’ll be okay.”

“I’m sure they will.” Vader agreed, his voice at completeodds with the fury that Leia could feel radiating from him in the Force. 

Leia closed her eyes, happy to let her father talk to her brother. 

“Do you follow pod-racing?” Darth Vader was saying to the boy as she drifted back to sleep.

“You look like poodoo.” Mara told her. Mara had grown a bit taller, since last they had met. She wore her fiery hair loose and her pale face was lit with touches of makeup.

“And you look like a holo star.” Leia told her friend in reply. 

“Thank you! Don’t worry, Sithspawn, we’ll get you back in to shape.”

Leia leaned over and hugged her friend.She wasn’t much for displays of affection, but the Rebels had been hugging each other all the time. 

Mara glowed, “Was it awful?”

Leia considered, “Just slow.Apparently every time the Rebels want to make a decision they have to have a long conversation, and then vote.Sometimes they have to vote again and again until they can decide what to do.”

“Oh that democracy thingy?” Mara quipped, “ Honestly how did the Republic last for so many years?”

Leia shrugged, “I should have asked the Rebels to explain it to me, but I think that would have made my captivity feel even longer.”

“Speaking of, you’ll never guess who else is back on Imperial Center!”

Leia reached out in the Force.A familiar dark presence haunted the lower levels of the Palace.

“Bridger!”Leia exclaimed, pleased.

“Seventh Brother.” Mara corrected with faux solemnity.

“What’s he like now?”

Mara shrugged, “About what you’d expect.We should go visit him.”

“Gimme a sec, I need to grab something from my room.”

  
****

Ezra Bridger was looking darker, rougher, and more tired than she had ever seen him.He had new scars on his face and hands, and no doubt other places as well.Whatever Vader had tasked him with during Leia’s absence, it had been hard.

Leia smiled, “You’ve changed since last I saw you.”

The young inquisitor scowled, “I’ve had to.”

Leia merely nodded.“I have something for you.A relic of times past.”

From within the folds of her robe she withdrew the weapon Bridger had been captured with. The saber which was also a blaster.

A shadow of a smiled flitted across his face, “Thank you.” He held the weapon gently, as if it were some thousand year old artifact he didn’t wish to damage. 

“You could turn the crystal, I suppose, use it in your new weapon.”

Ezra shook his head, “I’ll keep it like this, to remind me of who I was.”

Leia could understand that. She had so little from Alderaan. 

“I met your old friends, the Specters.”

Ezra flinched. “Kriff.”

“Shall I tell you how they all are doing?” Leia asked playfully, Bridger's ill temper always seemed to buoy her spirits.

Ezra clenched his teeth, “If they are alive, then yes, I would like to know how they are doing.”

Leia gave him a toothy grin, “Sabine introduced me to the whole gang.I don’t think Zeb or Syndulla ever really got to the point of trusting me, but we had some good times until they figured out who I was.I gave Chopper a little upgrade, too.”

Ezra grimaced, “Do they know I’m still alive?”

Leia nodded, “Sabine knows.But I told her she should forget about you, that you were as good as dead.”

Ezra looked wistful, “Do you think she will?”

Leia shrugged, “I honestly couldn’t care less.”

Mara coughed, Leia shot her a dirty look. 

“You are on our side now, aren’t you Bridger?” Leia asked.

“If you aren’t sure then why the kriffdid you give me my saber back?”

“Nostalgia.” Leia smiled sweetly.“I gave it a little upgrade, too.”

Ezra scowled, picking up his ridiculous blaster-saber. “What did you do to it, Highness?”

“It’s a surprise, just a little mystery for you to solve.Don’t worry, it’s nothing that will get you in trouble with the Emperor or my Father.”

_That_ was patently untrue.Leia had a plan for Ezra and his ridiculous saber, and if it went well it would make both her Father and the Emperor extremely angry.

  
****

“My child, I am pleased to see you are regaining your strength.” Palpatine said in approval.“Shall I hold a state banquet to celebrate your recovery from such a prolonged illness.?”

Is that what the official story was?Illness? Leia smiled.She hated state banquets, her master knew that.

Palpatine smiled.

“My Master, there is something I learned on my mission that I wanted to tell you in person.”

Palpatine looked intrigued.

“I met a fully trained Jedi named Ashoka Tano.A Togruta.”

Palpatine laughed, his sense in the force triumphant.“Ashoka Tano, I know her well. And have you told your father?”

Leia shook her head, “He’s so… happy about finding Luke.I didn’t want to complicate things.”

Palpatine smiled at her, “Quite right, dear child, how _kind hearted_ you are.”

Leia exhaled, she hadn’t been sure it had been the right move, but Palpatine’s response was encouraging. 

“Master, what do you think of my brother?”

Her Master smiled again, “He shines _so_ brightly.I will give him some time to adjust to life as a Skywalker before I get personally involved in his training.”


	25. So Brightly

It was strange indeed to be sitting at an Imperial court event next to her brother _and_ her father, at the Emperor’s own table.She couldn’t quite fathom her abrupt change in circumstances.Everything here glowed with wealth and privilege.Her gown alone cost enough to feed the Rebellion for a month.It was an entirely different world.

Luke was starting to relax around Vader, though Leia could tell the Emperor still terrified him.But that was the reaction Palpatine brought out in most people.Just now Luke was toying with the food in front of him, carefully watching which utensil Leia used, and following her lead. Every so often his eyes would flicker up to Vader, then over to Palpatine.

Leia relaxed further into the force.Luke was bright and unfocused, his emotions floated mixed with memories, and disbelief. He didn’t quite believe he was here, on Imperial Center. His mind lingered on his friends, the sands of Tatooine, and the memory of thirst.

Vader sat silently on Palpatine’s right, while the Emperor spoke to Tarkin at his left.Vader hated these gatherings, that was nothing new.But his sense in the force was not as resentful as Leia might have expected.Though her father sat stiff and strait, his head tilted ever so slightly to Palpatine, his attention was wholly focused on his son.Against the dark corona of Palpatine’s presence, Vader almost seemed almost… bright.

Leia brushed aside the strange thought, focusing instead on her Master.Palpatine was an unremitting darkness, much like, she imagined, the void left when the Deathstar had destroyed Yavin. She couldn’t read him well, he was far too powerful, but she knew he’d enjoyed having Tarkin fire the Deathstar.It had strengthened him, somehow.

After the banquet was done and the Emperor had departed, her father accompanied her and Luke back to her apartments.Vader didn’t wish to be parted from his son, she realized.It was touching, and more than a little disturbing.

She thought dimly of Palpatine’s words before he had sent her away on her mission.

_Attachment to his family has ever been Darth Vader’s weakness._

She had to admit she could see her Master’s point. She looked at her father, again speaking so gently with his son.Had he been like that with her, in those early days when she was so confused?He had been strong.He had been resolute.She’d set fire to the Imperial Palace and he’d just absorbed that and welcomed her into his home. Maybe that would do the trick.

“Father.” She addressed him, his helmet turning to survey her. “I think Luke should have my old room at your residence. Then he can stay there while he trains, just like I did.”

Vader inclined his mask, “A fine idea, Daughter.”

Leia woke late. There was something wrong with today, but she couldn’t quite pin down what was bothering her. She felt worried, disturbed, and somehow already exhausted. Perhaps she had just slept poorly? She’d been trying to get back into her physical training, maybe it was just taking its toll? She hoped if she just ignored it, the strange feeling would go away.

She decided go to see how Luke was doing at her father’s residence.

“Leia!”Her brother was always _so_ happy to see her.She did love him, of course she did, she just couldn’t remember what it felt like to be so… enthusiastic about everything. 

She let Luke embrace her.He led her into his room at their father’s residence, once her own room.She smiled, she strongly suspected her father enjoyed having a child at home again.

“Coruscant is amazing!”Luke enthused**,**“I never imagined a city could be so alive!”

Leia nodded, “It is the most populous world in the Empire, Luke.But you should call it Imperial Center.”

Luke agreed, “Because it is the bright center of the universe!”

“So you’re happy with your new life?” Leia asked.

Luke was happy.He’d wanted to get off Tatooine, he’d wanted a father, and now he had those things, and enough food, and water even, things were good.

“Luke, I need to talk to Father.” Luke gave her a disappointed look at that. “Go back to your studies, I will say goodbye before I go.” Leia assured him.

Leia met with her father inside his hyperbaric chamber.It had long been their meeting place of choice, the only place they could look at each other face to face.

Vader surveyed her carefully once she had seated herself and the chamber had sealed.“You are recovering your strength.”He observed.

“Getting there.” She agreed.“I see Luke is acclimating well.”

Vader answered with a nod.“He is very much like I once was.”

“I can’t believe he was hidden away on your home planet all this time.” Leia commented, thinking of Kenobi’s deception.

“Yes.” Vader agreed. “Obi-wan knew I would never go back there.It was brilliant move.”

“I wish I had had the chance to kill Obi-Wan Kenobi for you, Father, but he had me collared the whole time.”

Vader brushed this away with a wave of his cybernetic hand, “You have brought our family back together, Leia. You defeated Kenobi at his own game, I doubt he will be much of a trouble to us now.”

That did _not_ sound like the father she knew. Darth Vader was raising shields, but why?What did he have to hide from _her_? “Father, your sense in the force is… strange.I’m confused.”

Vader looked at her, his eyes almost completely blue. “It was all based on a lie, Leia.Only now do I see it.”

Leia had no idea what she was talking about.“Kenobi?” She guessed, disinclined to try to read her father’s mind.

Vader’s gaze grew more distant, “Finally, I understand.”

Leia scowled, uncertainty slowly turning to fear.She had to ground her father in the present, she needed him to stop being so weird.“When will you begin training Luke?” She demanded.

Vader hesitated, which was _very_ peculiar. 

Leia stared at him, “You will train him, won’t you?”

Vader inclined his head. “Of course, Daughter, Luke must be trained to use the Force.”

Was her father lying?She couldn’t understand the prevarication or make sense of Vader’s tightly raised shields.And she couldn’t call him on it.He would never stand for that.

She forced herself to smile gently, her own shields also raising, “I should go.”

“Daughter,” Vader stopped her, his voice reedy without the mask.

“Yes?” 

“I hope you do not begrudge me this time with your brother.I have missed much of his life. I hope you do not feel neglected.”

Leia blinked, her father never spoke about… feelings. “Never, father, I understand completely.”

Leia did not understand at all.


	26. Spiral

She did not understand at all.

Leia had risked everything to bring Luke back to Imperial Center, all for her father to have second thoughts about training him?

Her father was having second thoughts about a lot of things…

A feeling of profound misuse came over her,nine months in captivity… Everything she had suffered…

Leia needed to do _something_, to act, but she didn’t want to go back to the Imperial Palace with these doubts gnawing at her heart.

She cloaked herself in the force and slipped out of Vader’s residence.She suspected her shuttle and security escort would wait for her indefinitely before daring to interrupt Vader with his children.With the force keeping her from all sentient notice, she was able to traverse the Diplomatic Sector like a ghost.Beyond that, it barely mattered if she cloaked herself, the teeming mass of sentient life below the daylight levels was so varied, even the Imperial Princess could get lost in the crowds.

Leia could not have been more pleased when some undercity thugs decided she’d make an easy mark. She used her saber, and the force to kill them, she didn’t care if the news got back to the palace.At worst a battalion of stormtroopers would be sent to investigate reports of a rogue force user.

She downed ten men in seconds, and she wanted more. Their sudden fear, panic, and pain were just fuel that drew her further into to the force. She was alone now, surrounded by bodies, she kept walking. 

Sentient life in the under-city was in a sad state.It was a veritable colony of pimps, spice dealers, smugglers, and prostitutes of all ages and species.She understood why it pleased her Master to let such filth fester beneath the gleaming daylight levels, the pain here was palpable. 

Leia had set her sites on another group of under-city scoundrels when her Master’s voice cut through all her thoughts.

_Leia_.

She answered easily as if she weren't far below the planets surface, covered in grime and blood.

_My Master?_

_You will come to me now._

Leia smiled, of course she would come.If there was one thing that was solid and dependable in her life it was that she was loyal to her Emperor.

She hooked her saber to her belt, used the tunnels as her path, and the force to speed herself along. 

_Come to the cave._

She knelt at her masters feet, aware that she was still still covered in undercity grime.

Palpatine’s eyes glowed as he stared down at her,“My apprentice, I sense that something has disturbed you.” There was humor rich in his voice.“Tell me.”

Leia took a deep breath then hesitated, “My Master I am loyal only to you.”

“And?”

“My master, I find myself confused.” Leia couldn’t help but hesitate, it was so painful to say it.“My father is acting strangely.”

“How so, my apprentice?”

“I asked him when he would begin training my brother, and he hesitated.”

“Is that all?” Palpatine demanded.

“More than that I can feel it in my heart, Master. He is changing.”

“You were right to tell me, my Apprentice. I have sensed it too.”

Leia gasped, she had done the right thing in telling him. “I don’t want to loose them, Master.”

The Emperor stared right at her, utterly resolute, “No, Leia, neither do I.”

Leia couldn’t stop the tears that started rolling down her cheeks. “Master, tell me what to do.”

“My dear girl,I wish for you to stay here.Enter the cave, the dark side energy of this place keeps it completely hidden.”

“You don’t want my father to read me.”Leia realized.

“Correct, my apprentice.Will you do as I ask?”

“I’ll wait here.”

Desperate for any distraction, Leia entered the cave.

It was different than before. She fell straight into darkness. It swallowed her up and she swallowed it. 

Pasts and futures were laid out before her. She didn’t want to think, didn’t want to know anymore secrets. She wanted oblivion.

But the Force had a will of its own. 

She was standing next to the Emperor, looking down at Vader.The air was ripe with electricity, burned fleshed, and fear.The Emperor was doing _something_, reaching deeply into the force to heal Vader, to bridge the gap between his burned flesh and the tremendous weight of the prosthetics and cybernetics used to preserve him.

But the dark side could not heal.

Which meant that the life force which was flowing into Vader had to come from somewhere, from someone else. 

Leia turned her back on the scene, unsurprised to finder herself in another operating room.A young woman was gasping in pain as she birthed one baby and then another.Leia’s mother.

Obi-Wan Kenobi was at her side, stricken, trying to comfort her, but he did not understand what was being done to her.He did not see that the life force was being drawn out of her, flowing away, across the stars. He couldn’t not understand why Padme was dying.

But Leia understood. Palpatine was doing this. Her master had done this.

She woke. Or perhaps she did not. 

She knew her body lay in the dark side cave, far under the Imperial Palace.She could feel the hard stone beneath her, the cold, damp air on her skin.But her mind fled upward, to her father’s residence.

It was empty. The rooms where they had lived were utterly trashed. The hyperbaric chamber was caved in on itself. Smoke was still rising from the debris. But the only bodies were those of stormtroopers.

Leia cast her awareness wider.Her Master was coming for her, he was close.But where was her father? Her brother?

She felt a terrible wrenching feeling.She was dragged back to into her body by force.Palpatine’s ravaged features starred down at her, his hands clamped tightly upon her shoulders.

“Master.” She whispered, “What has happened?”

Palpatine reeked of smoke and his robes were covered in a fine layer of dust.

“Your father seeks to overthrow me.”Her Master breathed, “You must come with me.”

But the dark side was running in her blood, she was fully immersed and knew the lie for what it was.

Leia lit her saber where it still hung at her belt.The red blade pierced up through her Master’s body, a cruel cut from his abdomen up to his heart.Palpatine’s amber eyes widened.What she saw there was unexpected.Triumph.She pulled her saber out of his chest and sliced off his head.

The release of power was tremendous, shaking the galaxy itself, it seemed. It was thick in the air, warm like blood.It washed over her, but it was too much, she was sinking into a sea of blood.She went under.Drowning.

She called on the dark side, her only possible ally, and it answered clear and cold and perfect, lifting her up, filling her with icy fire.She was on her feet. She held her red blade in her hand, she was looking down at her master’s mangled and decapitated corpse.

Without really thinking she reached into Palpatine’s robes and removed his saber. He had died without even drawing it. She snapped it to her belt and turned her back on the cave. She took the stone steps slowly, unsure what she would sense as she left the cave’s dark orbit.


	27. Fracture

The palace was calm.Her father was alive.She was aware of him in the moment he was aware of her. He was not on the planet, but in orbit, aboard the Devastator, and Luke was with him.

_Father_.

_Leia._

_Don’t leave me._

_I am coming._

Not knowing where else to go she went to her apartments, at a loss for what to do she showered, riding herself of layers of blood and grime.

When she left the fresher, a dressing gown wrapped around herself, Vader was already there and so was Luke.Vader was starring at the two lightsabers she had dropped on the carpet.Her Master’s and her own.

Luke looked confused, glancing between Vader and herself.

“Leia?” Luke spoke her name, she starred at him, he was so bright in the force, truly, painfully luminous. “What is wrong with you?”

Leia ignored the question, looking to her father. He was clear to her in the force, his sense strangely hesitant, his shields down. More than anything he felt sadness and worry for her, beneath that there was anger tempered by understanding. 

The last stung, she had never seen her father like this, so… contaminated by the light side of the force.

“I don’t understand.” She bit out.The darkness in her urged her to summon the sabers and cut him down.But she was hesitating, too, and she hated herself for it.

“I will not attack you, my daughter.” Vader rumbled finally.

Lightning crackled at her fingertips, she wouldn’t even need the sabers.

“Palpatine is dead.”She whispered, nerves frayed to the very limit.“He said you betrayed him.”

“And you killed him, Daughter, a considerably greater betrayal.”

“He took mother’s life force to make you whole. She could have survived, I saw it all in the Force.”

Vader let out what could only be a long sigh, though it sounded like static through the vocoder. Vader stepped toward her, ignoring the sabers.He put his massive hands on her shoulders and held her immobile.“My Daughter, no one else has to die today.”

She let the tears flow.Then unconsciousness reached up like a hand and seized her.

She woke in her own bed.It was late in the night cycle but the Palace was a hive of activity.The sharply focused minds of Imperial officers and stormtroopers where everywhere.The force rang with change.Vader had told them Palpatine was dead. Vader was amassing his power base.She could sense him in the throne room, giving commands from Palpatine’s throne.

Her head swam.The darkness called to her unceasingly, demanding that she do… something. Why had Vader left her like this, did he not understand how close she was to the edge?How she had longed to electrocute him, to remove him as the last obstacle that stood between herself and ultimate power…

“Leia?”Luke’s voice rang with worry.He was sitting next to her, holding her hand, and looking at her with bloodshot eyes.His cheeks were stained with tears.

She let the dark side dissipate, as much as she could, unwilling to let it drive her when Luke was so close and vulnerable.

He smiled at her shakily, “Are you okay?”He shone so brightly, she could hardly bear it.

“Do you understand what has happened?”She whispered. 

“Honestly, I have no idea.I thought you and Father were going to duel there for a moment, and then you sort of collapsed.He said you killed the Emperor, and that now we can be free.”

Leia did not leave her apartments, and Luke stayed with her. All about them change was rippling through the Empire. Darth Vader was Emperor now. Leia had no idea at all how to feel about that.

Finally her father came to see her.Luke excused himself with a worried look between them.

“Leia.”Vader rumbled, his force presence still the same grey mix of dark and light.She didn’t like it. It shouldn’t be possible.

“Father, I don’t know how to move forward.I don’t understand what you have become.”

Vader sighed, “Did Luke give you my message?”

Leia’s anger rose in a flash, “That we can be free now? You really think that?”

“Palpatine is dead.”

“I can’t come back from this. Everything in me wants to attack you, Father.”

“I believe you are stronger than that, Daughter.”

“I’m not sure that I am.”

“Your control is impeccable, we can move forward from this, together.”

“Are you a Jedi now?”

Vader coughed, “Even I am not capable of that. I am, I believe, closer to the man who sired you than I have been since I fell.”

“You’re Anakin Skywalker, you’re saying?” 

“Not entirely. And you my daughter? At this moment when we can finally be free, will you rise to take Palpatine’s place as the Sith Master?”

“I can’t control it.It’s in me now.”

Vader sank to his knees in front of her, grasping her hands in his own.“I’ve been where you are, Daughter, but you are stronger than I ever was.You can resist this.”

She could tear him apart with a thought. There was no longer any limit to what she could achieve. Everything was hers now, if she would just reach out and take it. 

“Kill me, I beg you.” She whispered, “Or I will kill you and Luke too, I am so close right now.”

“Sleep, Daughter.” Her father said, smoothing a hand over her head. The compulsion was so gentle and so strong. She couldn’t.

When she awoke again things were different, and a familiar weight against her throat told her why.

“It was an obvious if inelegant solution.” Her father’s voice sounded next to her.

Leia sat up in bed.Without the force it took a tremendous effort.She felt exhausted down to her very bones.

“Why am I so tired?”She wondered aloud.

“The dark side takes more than it gives, Leia.”

“But I’ve been using it for years.”

“Not like this. Yesterday you went further and deeper than ever before. And yet, my Daughter, you did what I could not.”

“What?”

“When I turned, the dark side had me so firmly in its grip that I destroyed your mother. Not just by taking her life, I destroyed everything she ever valued.”

Leia had no response to this.She longed to sense her father in the force, to truly understand what he had felt, and what his intention was now.

“This force collar is a temporary measure at best.” She ground out. Even now she wished to rip it from her throat and let the force surge back in. 

“Yes.It blocks contact, not intention.”

Leia just stared at him. 

“Now listen, Daughter, for there is something you have not yet understood, and I wish to tell you so there is no more deception between us.”

Leia peered at him, utterly unsure what he would say.

“When I sensed Palpatine coming to kill me, I knew you had betrayed me.And in that moment, I betrayed you as well.I decided to leave.I would have left, with Luke.I would have left you to Palpatine.”

“But you didn’t.”

“Because you called out to me, Leia. Then I knew there was still hope.”

Leia tried to absorb it all.Could one betrayal cancel out another? Forgiveness was… unthinkable.But could she move forward knowing they were even?

“If you take off this collar I’m not sure what I will do.” She whispered.

“I know daughter.I’ve lived in that mindset your entire lifetime.”

Leia unclenched her fists, trying to find a center of calm, but she could not.Whatever stability she had had was entirely eroded.

“How did you turn back from the darkness?”

“It was Luke.He is what I could have been, had the Jedi never found me.He shines as brightly as you did, Leia, before I began to train you.”

That stung in so many ways Leia couldn’t begin to count. “Father, you are going down a path I can’t follow.”

Vader looked like he wanted to reach out to her but restrained himself. “I know.”


	28. Flight

At some point during the change in galactic leadership, Ezra Bridger had fled Imperial Center.Mara, who had been on assignment when Leia had killed the Emperor, had not returned at all.Or so it seemed, until Mara showed up in her quarters, eyes glowing red, seething with rage.Blinded by the force collar, Leia hadn’t even sensed her approach.

“Mara.” She breathed.

“Leia!” Mara practically sobbed, throwing arms around her friend.“I was worried he had killed you as well.”

Leia looked at her friend, blinking slowly. Mara must think Vader had killed the Emperor, and then Leia, too, had disappeared in the force.

Leia shifted the bulky force collar around her neck, as though Mara could have possibly missed the foul thing when they embraced.

“Kriffing Vader.” Mara spat.“What did he do that for?Are you his prisoner?”

Leia shook her head, “It is more complicated than that.”

“I have just the thing.” Mara blurted enthusiastically. “I’ll go get it.”

Leia blinked.She’d been about to explain the situation to Mara, but her friend was too quick. 

Leia had been collared for three days, and had met with Vader everyday.He did not ask her if she wanted the collar removed, and she did not suggested it.But she ached to do so.She could not summon the desire or the patience to imagine following in her father’s footsteps.The light was abhorrent to her. It was all she could do not to kill the man who had sired her. He had become everything they had been fighting against.A Jedi.Even without her powers, her rage was unabated._He_ had betrayed Palpatine, even if he hadn’t been the one to kill him, in the end. 

Mara was back and looking pleased with herself. She held still while Mara fiddled with a device ostensibly attempting to deactivate the collar.

“You know, if you mess that up, it’s going to blow my head off and probably yours, too.”

Mara smiled as she worked. “Nah, I’m quicker than that.”

Leia had missed her friend and their shared dark humor.

Then the collar was off and everything came rushing back.The palace was like glass around her, everything visible to her now. Vader became aware of her in an instant, and panicking, she shielded her mind.

“Do you have a ship?” She demanded of Mara.

“Yes.The Hand.”

“We have to get out of here.”

Mara was wise enough not to ask for explanations.She’d parked on the roof of the West tower, somewhat singeing the garden, but it was near enough that they were airborne before Vader reached them.

She could see him standing on the rooftop, his saber drawn, his black cape flapping in the wind.

_Leia._

She painstakingly severed the connection that had allowed them instantaneous contact for so many years.It was a relief.

They soared past the various mid-atmospheric installations and were headed for open space.Distantly, she could sense Vader, probably in a TIE, desperately chasing after her.

“He’s coming.”

“This has a hyperdrive, just tell me where.”

“Naboo.” 

Mara punched in the coordinates, the timer to jump ticked down. The stars blurred. They were safe for now.

“You look… different.” Mara observed, once they could relax. The jump would take hours. 

“Yellow eyes?”Leia asked lightly. “Veiny skin?”These things did not matter.

Mara nodded, “You’ve gone too deep.”

Leia sighed, “I had to.When our Master died…”

“Where you there when it happened?” Mara demanded.

Leia looked away, “If I had been there, Vader never would have succeeded.”

Mara’s eyes were narrowed at her when she looked, “So you don’t know how he did it?”

“I know our master was decapitated.”

Mara whistled through her teeth.“I wonder how Vader got so close.How did _you_ not sense his intent in the force?”

Leia grimaced. “There is a dark side cave below the palace.You know it?”

Mara shook her head. Palpatine had never taken her there.

“I was meditating there, I couldn’t sense a kriffing thing.Palpatine was already gone by the time I got to Vader.”

“But Vader didn’t kill you.”

“He’s my father, Mara.He wanted me to join him.I thought he’d kill me when I refused, but he put me in the collar. I guess he thought I’d come around eventually.”

“Why didn’t you?”

Leia raised her chin, “I can’t ignore what he did. Palpatine was our Master.”

Mara bowed her head, “Well, I guess I got back just in time.”

Leia grinned, “I was about to start messing with that collar on my own, risk of decapitation or not.”

“When where would I be?” Mara shot back. 

“Not my problem.” Leia replied primly.

“Nice.”

“As soon as we revert at Naboo we need to jump again.” Leia told her friend.

“Kriff, we are going to have the entire Imperial Navy after us, aren’t we?”

Leia sighed, “I don’t know what Vader is going to do, but yeah, I think it’s safe to say he won’t just let me go.”

“So what’s our next jump?”

“We need to find Ezra Bridger.”

It had just been a cruel little game at the time, to lead Ezra back to the Specters and see what would happen. She’d tinkered with Chopper over a year ago now.It was not a beacon which routine scans would detect, just a little something she’d thought of.A slave chip, not for droids, but for sentients.It would do him no harm, but it could be tracked over lightyears if necessary.

Thetransponder, of course,had been the upgrade she’d made to Ezra’s saber. She wasn’t sure how it had taken him to figure it out. Vader had been distracted. She’d been distracted. The Seventh Brother had taken his chance to run. Good for him.

She smiled.Even now she was not sure what Ezra would do.Would he seek out his former friends to destroy them?Would he, like Vader, try to turn back to the light?It didn’t really matter.If she found Ezra, she’d find the Rebellion and that was what mattered now.

Once she’d configured a second transponder and keyed in the code, there it was, the subtlest trace signal. It would take time, but they could keep jumping until they triangulated a position. 

Making multiple hyperspace jumps per day, and trying to spread their water and ration bars as far as they could Leia and Mara were exhausted.They didn’t dare try to get a signal for Holonet, but for Leia, that was less of an obstacle than it once would have been.

If she concentrated, she could reach out and sense the force as it moved in its basic elements. Vader, neither dark not light, but undeniably powerful was on Imperial Center, as was her brother, ever a beacon of untrained light energy. She would _not_ reach out to them. She’d face Vader when she had to, but she would not give him the chance to try to talk her down. At the edges of known space, doing its best to cloak itself, there were pin pricks of light. The last of the Jedi. At the very least, she expected Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ashoka Tano were included in those lights. She wondered if there were others.

“Got it!” Mara told her, exultant.“They are at Scarif.”

Leia was surprised, and impressed. She supposed the Rebels were using the turn over in Imperial leadership to make a run on the complete plan for Project Stardust.Predictably, the Specters would be involved - infiltration and trick flying was their specialty.

It was another long jump and she sensed her father was headed in a similar direction. That complicated things, she supposed, but if there was anything to distract Vader from trying to apprehend Leia, it would be an attack on Scarif. 

When they reverted from Hyperspace, it was into absolute chaos. A half-destroyed Star Destroyer pointed inverted into the planetary shield, and unless she was very much mistaken, that would be more than enough to let the rebels move to and from the planet  
****

There were TIES attacking various Rebel crafts. The smooth organic lines of Mon Cal cruisers striking amongst the angular Imperial ships. 

Her father’s Star Destroyer, the Devastator, reverted from hyperspace and entered the carnage. 

“Okay, let’s pick our ride, shall we?”

Running on low power, Mara angled towards the outmost of the Rebel capital ships, if anyone was going to get away from this it would be one of the outliers.

The Deathstar entered the fray.

Leia didn’t spare it a thought.“Here, this one.Look, they are powering up they hyperdrive.”Mara landed the Hand on the much larger Rebel craft.She engaged clamps and all they had to do now was power down and wait.

It was risking, to piggyback a hyperspace jump, but the force was with them. Distantly, Leia sensed it as the Deathstar attacked Scarif, hundreds of thousands of lives snuffed out in a roiling wave of energy.

Mara sensed it too, “Kriff.”

Leia shook her head, “Grand-Moff Tarkin just couldn’t resist playing with his toy.”

“Creep.” Mara comment automatically. 

“Yeah.”

“So are we… what? Joining the Rebels now?”Mara sounded both joking and slightly worried that might be the case. 

Leia looked at her friend, amused, “Oh hells no.”


	29. Lashing Out

The Rebels reverted from hyperspace above a lush green planet with a very strange signature in the force.It was… verdantly alive, and actively hiding secrets. 

Mara detached the docking clamps and they drifted awhile before using minimal propulsion to make their own way to the surface. All the while they were careful to give the Rebel ships a wide berth.

“Let’s set down and get some rest.” Leia suggested.Mara complied, flying in a wide arc around the planet, in the opposite direction from the few signs of habitation their sensors told them lay below.

The air was intensely humid, and vibrantly green.There were force sensitives on this planet, she was sure now, at least three Jedi.But, the Jedi had always been hampered by their inability to perceive the dark side until it was right in front of them.They wouldn’t see her until she wanted them to.

The next phase of her plan relied heavily on Mara Jade, and she had little doubt her friend would perform well. 

The Rebels were clearly gearing up for an offensive against the Deathstar, now that they finally had everything they needed to destroy it. Well, almost everything. Unless she was quite mistaken, they didn’t know the next target.

Leia knew that she might be giving up the chance to kill Tarkin with her own hands. But everyone had to make sacrifices in a time of war.

Mara had succeeded.She was returning, and she had a friend.Ahsoka Tano’s guarded presence shone against the darkness that was Mara Jade.

Leia smiled. 

Tano had her sabers drawn and was walking with Mara out in front of her.The captive leading the captor.

Leia stepped out of the jungle, her shields fully in place. She could deal with one Jedi far easier than three.

“You?” Tano gasped, falling into a ready position. 

Leia smiled widely. “Yeah, me. What can I say? I missed you guys.”

“Have you given Vader our coordinates?” Tano asked point blank, needing no reminder of how Leia had led the Emperor to Yavin.

“No.Where are we, by the way?” Leia joked.

Ahsoka Tano grimaced, “I see you’ve gone full dark side.”

Leia shrugged, “Desperate times. Is everything on track to take down the Deathstar?”

Tano’s eyes widened but she did not let down her guard.“If you think I’m going to tell you anything…”

“I am offering my assistance, Tano. No caveats and no tricks. In the spirit of transparency I will also point out that an Inquisitor is probably trying to infiltrate your camp right now.”

She could sense Tano reach out into the force, she spoke to someone over a force bond then her eyes focused back on Leia.“You sent Ezra Bridger to attack the Alliance?”

Leia shrugged, “Hardly. He’s on his own.Now, have I sufficiently demonstrated my good will?”

Tano shook her montrals, “Nothing you could possibly say or do would make be believe you.”

“Fine.” Leia bit out, feeling annoyed.“I suppose the news hasn’t reached you hear that I’ve turned against my father?”

“You’ve done no such thing.”

“Then why haven’t I plucked the coordinates of this planet from the mind ofone of your force-blind techs and told Vader though our force-bond?

“I don’t know what game you are playing, Leia, but if you want to help, tell us what planet the Deathstar is going to go next.”

Leia didn’t hesitate, “Should be Chandrila or Mon Cala.Alderaan was on the short list for awhile.Might be back on, if Tarkin bothers to ask my father for his preference.”Leia reached out in the force, asking for the answer, noticing Tano flinched as she witnessed the extent of Leia’s power.“It’s Mon Cala.”

She sensed Tano relay this information in the force to Kenobi and whoever else it was inside the Rebel base.

“You’re really not here to fight?” Tano asked hesitantly. 

“Not with you or your Alliance.” Leia told her, dropping her shields enough that the Togruta should be able to sense her honesty.

“Will you surrender your weapons and let me bring you in peacefully?”

Leia hadn’t even drawn her saber. She unhooked it from her belt and tossed it, unlit, at the Togruta’s feet. Jade followed suit. 

Tano summoned the sabers to her belt, in place of her own which she kept lit and ready.

“After you.”

Thethird presence force sensitive Leia had sensed was a Jedi master she had only ever known by reputation.Yoda. He was far more powerful that she was, yet somehow she perceived no aggression in him. He and Kenobi regarded them calmly while the rest of the Rebel base swarmed with activity.They were launching X-wings.Shecould see the flashes as the fighters went to hyperspace as soon as they were clear of the atmosphere.

“Hello there.” Kenobi said genially.“Ahsoka says you’re here to help.”

Leia nodded serenely, “I hope you’ll do me the favor of not putting me in a force cage, this time?”

Kenobi smiled tightly. “You are far stronger in the dark side now, Leia.I don’t suppose you’d let us do that to you again.”

“Effective against Sith Lighting, a force cage is not.”Yoda spoke.Looking at her with an unreadable gaze.

“Did you find Ezra?” Leia asked, curious.

“He’s with his former compatriots.”Kenobi stated ambiguously. “He’s the one who led you to us, I take it?”

“Not of his own accord, I assure you.” Leia replied smartly.“Now, who do you have flying against the Deathstar?They are going to have to make a really tight shot.”

It was intensely difficult to help someone, when they didn’t trust a damn thing they were told.Yoda kept staring at her, did he even blink?Kenobi asked all the questions. Leia didn’t dare let her guard down.Three armed Jedi masters against two unarmed Sith wasn’t great odds, even if she _could_ call the lightning to herself. 

It was some point into the questions on fleet security measures, that Kenobi thought to ask her why she had turned against Darth Vader.

Leia sighed, very aware that Mara and Yoda were both listening to her carefully.She wasn’t sure she could lie to Yoda and she wasn’t sure what would happen when Mara found out the truth.

“I doubt you’ll believe me, but here it is.He’s turned his back on the dark side.”

Ahsoka snorted, Kenobi just stared at her, and Yoda nodded as if he had expected this all along.

Leia kept talking, “Something about my brother being so pure and so bright, made him rethink his life.”

“Luke is alive?” Kenobi asked, genuinely surprised. 

Leia scowled, “You expected Vader to kill his own son?After all the trouble I went to to fetch him?”

“So what you are claiming, Leia,” Kenobi ventured, doubt clear in his voice and on his features, “Is that you have split from your father for ethical reasons?”

“Surely you can understand that, Kenobi, after what you did to him on Mustafar, or did you think I didn’t know?”

Kenobi was shaking his head, “So is he Anakin again?Has he truly turned back to the light?”

Leia shrugged, “He’s somewhere between light and dark, don’t ask me how.”

Yoda was looking thoughtful.“And Leia, where is it you stand?”Though, she thought, he must already know.

She smiled tightly, “I am Sith.”

“Sith, you are not,” Yoda interjected, “Though close you have come.”

Leia blinked, “I don’t need your permission.”

“Yet seek it you do.” Yoda shot back.“Lie to me you cannot, young Skywalker.Betray you, your feelings do.”

Leia narrowed her eyes, ready to reply when a tremendous wave rang out through the Force.The Deathstar had been destroyed.She reached out further, checking, yes, Tarkin was dead.Leia smiled. 

Kenobi and Tano were smiling too, the battle station had haunted their lives for far too long.

“Help you we can, young Skywalker.” Yoda said.

Leia raised her eyebrows, “I’m good.Thanks for taking out the Deathstar, and Tarkin. May we have our weapons back?”

Someone was behind her.She spun.A familiar face. A stun bolt flared between them.


	30. Tempered

Collared. Again.Leia was getting tired of this.She lay on a gritty floor, her hands bound behind her.Mara was likewise incapacitated.And, incredibly, so was Ezra Bridger.

“Hey Ezra.”Leia drawled.

“Princess.” Bridger ground out. 

“We’re both traitors to the Empire, and captives of the Rebellion, please feel free to call me Leia.”

Bridger grinned toothily.“Leia.” 

“Oh not this again!” Mara snarked from where she sat upright, leaning against a crate. “More romance?Now?Here?”

Leia struggled to sit up as well.

“It’s not like that,” Leia spat.

“Oh spare me, Leia, you _love_ him.” Mara giggled.

Leia rolled her eyes, she felt lighter right now than she had in a long time. She supposed she was just happy to have Bridger back at her side. Maybe she liked him, just a little bit.

Something had changed. She felt… _lighter_. Kriff. “How long was I out?”

Mara shrugged, “We were all out.”

“I suppose the Rebels are all off celebrating?” Leia asked.

“All except us, your unlucky babysitters,” Came a familiar voice from behind her.

Leia smiled, “Sabine!”

Sabine Wren sidled into view, blaster at the ready. Garazeb Orrelios and a blond human male were not far behind.

“Agent Kallus?” Bridger gasped.

The blond man grinned, “Ezra Bridger.”The man’s accent was pure Coruscanti.

“You know him?” Mara asked.

“_You_ joined the Rebellion?” Bridger asked, disbelief all over his face.

“And you joined the Empire.” Kallus replied, not hiding his amusement, though the blaster riffle in his hands did not waver.

“Uh, yeah. But then I betrayed them too, for what it’s worth.” Bridger pointed out.

“We’ll see.” The Lasat growled.

“Where are the Jedi?” Leia asked sharply, they had done something to her, she just knew it.

“Resting probably.” Sabine replied vaguely. 

“How long were we out?”Leia repeated her earlier question.

Sabine just smirked, “Ask them yourself.”

Obi-wan Kenobi and Ahsoka Tano were approaching, looking weary but pleased. 

“How are we all feeling?” Kenobi asked, his eyes sparkling. 

“What have you done?” Leia snapped. “What the kriff have you done?”

Kenobi smiled, “Ah the Skywalker temper, even the Force can’t heal that.”

“Heal?” Leia repeated.

Ahsoka smiled at her radiantly, “We’ve done what we could.The rest is up to you.”

“What. Have. You. Done?” Leia ground out. 

Kenobi crouched so that they were on the same level. “You’re lucky Master Yoda i**s **so long lived, he’s the only one who knew such a thing could be done.”

Leia wasn’t getting any answers and she didn’t like it one bit.“You can’t heal someone of being Dark.”Could they?

Tano smiled, “No.We’ve cut you off from the Force.”

“What?”Mara hissed.

“Garazeb,” Kenobi addressed the Lasat, “If you would remove Ezra’s force collar?”

Zeb keyed something in and the collar fell away.Bridger, his hands still bound behind him, shrugged his shoulders and stretched his neck.Then his eyes widened, “It’s gone.”

“That’s impossible.” Leia protested.

Kenobi gingerly reached under her chin and keyed open the collar.Tano did the same for Mara.

There was nothing.No rush of power, no boost in perception.She was force-blind. 

Leia felt so light… and annoyed, and scared, but she had gotten something back that she realized only now the dark side had stolen from her.She could think without reacting, now. There was some space between thought and action, rather than the overwhelming compulsion to violence.

“How dare you?” She hissed at Kenobi.

Kenobi was unmoved.“Right then.I suppose we can move you to a regular cell now, if you’d like to have those binders off?”

A regular cell.Leia wanted to murder this man.But she couldn’t.

“I’m not going to try to escape.” Ezra said. 

“I’ll keep an eye on Ezra,” Sabine pipped up, “But these two are plenty dangerous even without the force.”

“You don’t think I’m dangerous?” Ezra asked Sabine, looking hurt.

Sabine rolled her eyes.

Leia and Mara were pushed into a regular holding cell. Their binders were taken off, but even with their hands free they were stuck.

“I didn’t know they could do that.” Mara said softly, looking troubled.

Leia had her doubts. Whatever the Jedi had done might not be permanent, but, for now, it was certainly effective.

“Mara,” Leia began. “I’m going to tell you something hard, and when you hear it you are going to want to murder me. Naturally, I will have to defend myself, but before we start fighting I’d just like to thank you for being a friend to me, all these years.”

Mara raised both her eyebrows, “Are you on spice?”

Leia didn’t think she was.But she was tired of lying, and she wanted to clear the air completely.Damn Jedi with their light side tricks, she hated feeling this way.

“I’m the one who killed Palpatine.Not Vader.”

Mara blinked and then lunged at her. 

The Rebels had barged in and separated them before Mara had knocked out any of Leia’s teeth but it was a close thing. 

After that they were kept in separate cells.

Leia didn’t begrudge the blows Mara had managed to land. Her friend had always had excellent hand-to-hand combat skills. Leia lay down on the bunk in her cell and stared at the grimy ceiling. She wondered where her father was. Or her brother. She smiled, at least Tarkin was dead. It was a happy thought. She cursed the Jedi again for whatever they had done to her.

Leia slept.She was cut off from the force, what else was there to do? 

They kept her there for days. Rebel rations were terrible, but at least she didn’t starve. It was strange, having no sense of the world around her. She guessed Mara must be in a cell nearby, but she couldn’t sense a damn thing. 

Then one day the food didn’t arrive and Leia started to worry.

A blue lightsaber blade cutting through the door of her cell did nothing to set her mind at ease.

“Leia!”

“Luke?” She couldn’t believe her eyes. 

Luke had thrown his arms around her, “Stars, we were worried, weren’t we Father?”

Leia glanced up.Darth Vader was standing in the doorway, hands at his hips.She sensed nothing from him, of course.

Vader’s helmet tilted as though considering her.“Daughter, what is wrong with you?”

Leia extricated herself from Luke’s embrace, patting him on the back as she did so.The boy settled for sitting right beside her, so close they were touching.That was fine.If Vader wanted to cut her head off he’d just have to ask Luke to get out of the way.

“Are you here to kill me?”She asked plainly.

It was Luke who responded, “No, we are here to rescue you.Um, right?”He looked back at Vader.

Vader inclined his helmet, “You are cut off from the force, how has this been done to you?”

Leia shrugged, “The kriffing Jedi did something.”

“I see.” Vader replied.“Will you come with us, Leia?”

Leia didn’t see that she had a choice. She thought of Mara, debating wether or not to ask her father to free her friend or leave her here to starve.

“I will free her.”Clearly Vader could still read her mind.How unfair.

Mara smiled coldly at Leia once she was out of her cell, “Face feeling better?”

“I think you broke my nose, Mara.”

“Oh hells yeah I did.” Mara smirked.

“I can try to heal that when we get back to the ship.” Luke put in brightly.Having a brother was so… annoying. 

“Aw, you don’t mean that.” Luke replied.

Kriff, now he could read her mind too?

The aforementioned ship was theDevastator. It hung low in orbit, above the deserted Rebel encampment. A lambda-class shuttle and a cadre of stormtroopers were waiting for them. Mara’s shuttle had already been ferried aboard.

Leia leaned into the back of her seat and relaxed. There really was no point in stressing anymore. Vader would kill her, or not. There wasn’t much she could do about it.

Once aboard the Devastator Vader did not lead her to a cell, but to an executive suite next to his own. Mara was sent next door. Apparently Vader had something to say to his wayward daughter.

“Leia.” Vader rumbled, “Why did you run from me at Coruscant?”

Leia sighed, “Because I would have killed you otherwise. It seemed like the only option at the time.”

Vader tilted his mask, “And now?”

“I don’t think I could kill you if I wanted to, Father.You’d snap me like a twig.”

Vader coughed, “But if you could, would you attempt to do so?”

Leia sighed, she’d been wondering the same thing herself.“Whatever the Jedi did to me, it is getting harder and harder to remember why I wanted to.”

Vader got to his feet.She hated not being able to read him in the Force.He had no expressions, none at all, how was she supposed to know what he was thinking or feeling?

“I am pleased, my daughter. I feared I had lost you until Ahsoka contacted me.”

“So that’s how you knew where to find us?”

“Indeed.” Vader replied.

“What happens now?”

Vader reached out a massive gloved hand and cupped her shoulder very gently. “Now, we go home.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continued in Cursed or Something Part 2: Cursed.
> 
> Thank you for reading Thirteenth. I'd be grateful for suggestions on tags to add and typos to fix.


	31. Sequels posted!

Just a note to let readers know the story continues in part 2, Cursed, part 3, Luke's Marvelous Destiny, both of which are complete, and finally part 4, Unnatural, for which I am posting chapters weekly.


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